744 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL msr. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



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38. Mus TJKBANUS, Hoclgsoii — The Himalayan House Mouse. 

 (Blanford No. 283.) 

 (Simla Hill States (outer ranges) = " Moosarie. ") 



Measurements : 



One specimen — Sex (S {adult). Head and body 71 mm.; tail 82 mm.; 

 hindfoot 16 mm.; ear 18 mm. 



Five S2)ecimens — Sex § [adults). — Head and body 73 mm. — 83 mm.; tail 

 77 mm. — 85 mm.; hindfoot 16 mm. — 19 mm.; ear 14 mm. — 16 mm. 



This is the common House Mouse at Simla. 



Two pregnant females examined on the 17th August and 29th November 

 contained 5 fully developed young each. Another pregnant female 

 examined on the 24th August contained 4 young. 



The normal number of mammse in this species appears to be 10 (5 on 

 each side), but in two specimens I find that one has 11 mamniiB (5 on one 

 side and 6 on the other), and the other only 9 (4 on one side and 5 on the 

 other). 



£9. GUNOMYS. Sp. 



On the 1st July 1912 a rat (sex S) belonging to the above Genus was 

 caught in the bazaar at Simla, but unfortunately the skin was spoilt, and 

 it is not possible to say for certain now what it was. Mr. Kinnear, who 

 kindly examined the decomposed skin, thinks that it may have been G. 

 Wardi (.J. B. N. H. S., Vol. XVIII, pp. 744-745). Its measurements were : 

 Head and body 242 mm.; tail 178 mm. 



This is the only one of its kind that I have ever seen up here. 



40. Hystkix leuouka, Sykes. — The Indian Porcupine. 



(Blanford No. 315.) 



(Simla Hill States (outer ranges) = " Sahil " ; Kangra := " Seh. ") 



The Indian Porcupine ranges as high as 7,000 feet in these hills. It has 

 been shot on several occasions in the gardens of the residents here. Judg- 

 ing from the large number of quills which 1 have picked up at difl'erent 

 parts of the station, I should think that it is much commoner than is 

 supposed, but being so essentially nocturnal in its habits, it is seldom seen. 



The accompanying photograph is of an adult Porcupine shot on the 

 Tara Devi Hill (7,000 feet). 



It is most destructive here to Indian corn, and to potato and other 

 vegetable crops. 



In the hills this animal appears to make its home in natural caves and in 

 crevices of rocks, and does not burrow as ia the plains. 



