534 MR. o. THOMAS ON THE [May 3, 



31. nemoralis, Blyth ', J. A. S. B. xx. p. 168 (1851). 



*M. kandianus & *M. tetragonurus, Kel. J. As. Soc. Ceylon 

 (1851). 



M. ceylonus, Kel. Prodr. Faun. Zeyl. p. 61 (juv.) (1852). 



M. robustulus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxviii. p. 294 (1859), fide Blan- 

 ford, J. A.S. B. xlvii. p. 165 (1878). 



UI. infralineatus, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxxii. p. 348 (1863) (juv.). 



^'EuchcBtomys- rufescens, Gray," Fitzinger, SB. Ak. Wien. Ivi. i. 

 p. 74 (1867). 



Specific Characters. — Fur harsh, sometimes mixed with fine spines. 

 Colour varying from dark rufous-grey to bright reddish fulvous ; 

 belly sometimes quite white, sometimes no lighter than the back. 

 Feet nearly always white. Tail longer than the head and body, 

 scarcely lighter below than above. Ears large ; laid forward they 

 reach quite to, or even beyond the eye. Foot-pads 5-6, well- 

 defined. Mammae 10, 11, or 12, normally three pectoral and three 

 inguinal pairs ; but one or both of the posterior pectoral pair are 

 often absent. The length of the head and body (in spirit) varies 

 from 5 to 7, the tail from 6 to 9, and hind foot from 1-2 to TS 

 inches ; these, however, are the extreme limit. For detailed mea- 

 surements see below. 



Varietal Characters. — Typical variety. Dark rufous-grey above, 

 white below. Size large, over 6 inches ; tail much longer than the 

 head and body, more noticeably paler below than in the other 

 varieties. Soles of feet nearly always white (in spirit). 



Variety nitidus. Fur finer and rather more rufous, often mixed 

 with numerous spines. Belly sometimes pure sharply-defined white, 

 sometimes almost as dark as the upperside, the tips of the hairs, 

 however, being nearly always wliite. Size about the same as in 

 typical alexandrinus. Tail generally only a Httle longer than the 

 head and body, seldom exceeding them by more than one inch ; 

 stretched skins therefore often have the tail even shorter than the 

 trunk. Soles of feet often quite black. 



Variety rufescens. Body small and slender, only just over 5 

 inches in length. Tail much longer than the head and body. 

 Colour dull rufous, generally but little paler below ; fur coarse and 

 spinous. This variety is much more arboreal than the others. 



I can find no differences whatever between the skulls of these 

 three varieties. Their general characters are too well-known to need 

 any detailed description ; the dimensions of a pprcimen of var. 

 rvfescens will be found below under Mus blanfordi^. The re- 

 markable variation in the length of the nasal bones presented by 

 this species is referred to below\ 



' Blyth, op. cit. sxxiv. p. 192 (1865), says that this is the same as M. hriinncus, 

 Hodgs., which is a Mus decumanus ; his description, however, agi-ees much 

 better with this form, and a specimen sent as M. nemoralis by Dr. Anderson is 

 certainly a Miis rufescens. 



" A genus (!), composed of a ridiculous mixture of species of Miis, Nesokia, 

 and Lcggada wliich have uo special affinity with each other whatever. 



3 Vide p. 541. * Vide p. 536. 



