1881.] INDIAN SPECIES OF MUS. 527 



Neso/cia hardwickei, Kelaart, Prodr, Faun. Zeyl. p. 65 (1852) 

 (nee Gray). 



M. (N.) providens, Anders. J. A. S. B. xlvii. p. 225, pi. xiii 

 figs, eto ^(1878). 



Hab. South India and Ceylon. 



Specific Characters. — Form stout and heavy, muzzle blunt. Fur 

 rather short and harsh, grizzled brown above, rather paler below. 

 Ears short ; laid forward they do not reach to the eyes. Tail shorter 

 than the head and body, uniformly brown above and below. Feet 

 of medium size, nearly always brown above. Foot-pads small and 

 rounded, five on the fore and six on the hind feet, as in the other 

 species of the subgenus. Mammae very numerous, from 14 to 18 

 in number, often different on the two sides of the body. 



The skull is rather more like that of a true Mus than in N. hard- 

 wickei. The most important differences between the two have been 

 mentioned under that speeies. 



Varietal Characters. — Var. hengalensis. Size comparatively large. 

 Tail somewhat longer in proportion, and anterior palatine foramina 

 often (but by no means always) larger than in the southern race. 

 Skull otherwise quite similar. 



Var. hoh. Smaller. Tail somewhat shorter than in the typical 

 variety. Anterior palatine foramina very narrow. 



Measurements. 



Var. bengalcnsis. Var. Jcolc. 



Calcutta^. Ootacamuud. Madras, 



c? 2 c? $ 



Head and body 8-0 7-8 7S 7-0 



Tail 7-4 70 5-7 6-3 



Hind foot 1-4 1-45 1-32 1-4 



Forearm.. 2-0 2-05 175 181 



Ear-conch, length -82 '80 -80 '75 



Muzzle to ear 1-6 17 1'6 1-6 



This species is the common Nesokia of the whole of India. The 

 only animal with which it could possibly be confounded is Mus de- 

 cumamis, from which, however, it may always be distinguished by 

 its comparatively shorter head and broader incisors. 



Dr. Anderson, in his paper above quoted, keeps the northern and 

 southern forms separate under the names of iV. bhjthiantis and pro- 

 videns. The following are the characters upon which he founds his 

 opinion as to their specific distinction : — " The skull (of iV^. providens) 

 is considerably smaller than that of M. (N.) blijthiatnis of the same 

 age, from which it is also distinguished by its more outwardly arched 

 malar process of the maxillary, by its considerably smaller teeth, 

 and long but less open palatine foramina." The external characters 

 given are those I have used to divide the species into varieties, except 

 the "somewhat smaller ears "of N. kok, a character which does not 



' These seem to be exceptionally large specimens, none of the specimens mea- 

 sured by Dr. Anderson having hind feet as much as 1'4 inch. 



