1881.] INDIAN SPECIES OF MUS. 525 



seven inches ; tail about equal to the body without the head. 

 Mammae 8, 2 pectoral and 2 inguinal pairs '. Skull very stout 

 and strong, readily distinguished by its very short and narrow 

 anterior palatine foramina, which are not so long as the first two 

 upper molars, while those of the next species, N. bengalensis, 

 are as long as the whole upper molar series. Teeth more rounded 

 than in the other Neso/cke, the laminae more compressed from be- 

 fore backwards. (See Dr. Peters's figure referred to above.) 



Varietal Characters. — Var. hardwickei. Fur generally short and 

 harsh, yellowish brown above, dirty white below. Feet shorter 

 than in var. huttoni. 



Var. huttoni. Fur long and soft, bright rufous above, dull yellow 

 below. Hind feet longer than in var. hardwickei. 



Measurements. 



Var. hardwickei. Var. huttoni. 

 (^. Tong, fj . Jaco- (5'. Balu- 



Sind. babad, Sind. chistan. 



Head and body 2 59 6-3 6-5 



TaiP 3-8 4-35 4-5 



Hindfoot^ 1-2 1-2 1-45 



Forearm and hand ^ 1*7 l'6l r95 



Ear-conch, length ^ '52 '59 '57 



Muzzle to ear ^ ... , 1-45 1-45 1-55 



These measurements would appear to be rather below the average, 

 those given by Dr. Anderson being considerably more. 



I think there can be but little doubt as to the necessity of uniting 

 the two forms of this species. One of our specimens (a), from Tong, 

 Sind, has the long, soft and bright-coloured fur of var. huttoni, while 



^ Mr. Blanford {I. c.) stated that there were only 6 mammse in his Persian 

 specimens ; but he must have overlooked one of the anterior pairs, as those of 

 his specimens which came to the British Museum have 8, as also, JJde Dr. 

 Anderson, have those that went to Calcutta. 



^ Taken by placing the head and body as nearly as possible flat, and then 

 measuring in a straight line, and not along the curves. 



' From the anus to the end of the vertebrae, one point of the compasses being 

 placed quite in the anus, so as to get to the true root of the tail. 



^ From the calcaneum to the tip of the longest toe, not including the claws. 



' From the olecranon to the tip of the longest finger, also without the claws. 

 This is a most useful measurement for showing the comparative lengtlis of the 

 fore and hind limbs, that of the hand only being extremely difficult to take 

 ■with accuracy. 



^ From the asternal root of the conch (see Plate LI. fig. 7, a to b). The skin 

 shifts so much on the head that measuring from the meatus is very unsatis- 

 factory. 



' From the tip of the nose to the inside of the auditory meatus, one point 

 being placed in the meatus as far as it will go without hurting the skull. This 

 is a measurement which should always be given, being almost the only one that 

 can be relied upon for perfect accuracy in showing the general size of the 

 animal. It is particularly useful with regard to the proportion that the limbs 

 and tail bear to tbe trunk. 



I may here state that every measurement given is taken from a specimen 

 preserved in spirit, except where otherwise stated, and that therefore the size of 

 the body will be found to be somewhat larger when measured in the flesh. 



