D. 31. A. Bate — Rodent Remains from Crete. 5 



Both molars have well-developed supplementary cusps. With regard 

 to the height of the crowns Mr. Hinton pointed out to me that in this 

 they approach Rhagamys orthodon of the Pleistocene cave-deposits of 

 Sardinia and Corsica, and at first sight the resemblance seemed to be 

 sufficiently close to warrant their inclusion in that genus. However, 

 there is perhaps hardly sufficient data at present to justify this, for, 

 although the Cretan molars are decidedly high-crowned, it will be 

 seen from the measurements given below that they are not more 

 so than obtains in Cricetomys. Further, while m. x in -2/". catreus is 

 twice the antero-posterior length of the corresponding tooth in 

 R. orthodon, the height of its crown is only one -third more. The 

 following measurements, in millimetres, will give some idea of 

 the comparative sizes of the Cretan mouse, Epimys, Rhagamys, and 

 Cricetomys. 



Ant. -post, length 

 of m.p5^^ . 



Ant. -post, length 

 of m. Y . . 



Greatest width of 

 crown . . . 



E.rattus. E.decumanus.B. orthodon. M. catreus. Cricetomys. 



4-5 



5-5 



4-5 



2-5 



8-5 



The width of crown in a worn specimen of E. decumanus is slightly 

 more than 2 mm. In Cricetomys the complete series measures 

 ITo mm. antero-posteriorly, while in E. decumanus and E. rattus 



Figs. 



1, la. Fu'st and second right lower molars of Mus catreus, n.sp. 1, crown 



view ; la, imier view. x 3. 



2, 2a. Rhagomys orthodon, Hensel, sp. 2, crown view ; 2a, inner view, x 5. 



3. Ditto. Crown view of teeth in more advanced state of wear. x 5. 



4. Cricetotnys. Crown view, x 8. 



this measurement is 7 mm. and barely 6 mm. respectively, and in 

 a specimen of R. orthodon from Corsica 5-5 mm. The greatest height 

 of the Cretan molars above the inner alveolar border is 3 mm. and is 

 practically similar in Cricetomys, while in a Sardinian example of 

 R. orthodon- this is very slightly more than 2 mm. 



From the above it is evident that the molars under discussion are 

 those of a much larger animal than either R. orthodon or E. decumanus. 



