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



is based on both specimens, and ought therefore to be fairly com- 

 plete : — 



Fur long and soft, above slate-coloured for seven eighths of its 

 length, the terminal eighth being greyish fawn. Tbe greater part 

 of the belly is pure white in both specimens ; but it is probably 

 sometimes dark, as there is an indication of this colour on the centre 

 of the chest in each case, as in certain specimens of 21. alexandrirms. 

 The tail is very much longer than the head and body ; for half its 

 length it is above and below dark-coloured and short-haired, as in 

 other Rats ; but then its colour abruptly changes to white all round, 

 and the hairs gradually lengthen from this point and form a white 

 brush at the tip. Dr. Scully's Gilgit specimens of M, alexandrinus 

 have their tails much more hairy than is usual in that species ; but 

 in their other characters they in no way resemble Mus blanfordi. 



The feet are entirely white in the adult male ; but in the female 

 there is a distinct brown tinge on the upper surface of both fore and 

 hind feet ; this, therefore, is no doubt variable. 



The hind foot (Plate LI. fig. 6) is of somewhat different propor- 

 tions from those which obtain in the other Indian Rats, the tarsus 

 being somewhat long, while the phalanges are particularly short. 

 The proportional lengths of the toes are much as in J/as alexandri- 

 nus, except in the case of the fifth digit on both fore and hind feet, 

 which is rather longer as compared with the fourth. The pads are 

 large and rounded, and, in the hind feet, somewhat crowded together, 

 as shown in the figure. 



The ears are large and dark-coloured. On their outer side the 

 anterior half is thickly covered with short brown hairs, the posterior 

 half being very nearly naked. On the inner side the hairs are much 

 fewer and shorter than on the outer, and are mostly confined to the 

 posterior half. In the original description the ears were said to be 

 " nearly naked ;" but this condition in the type was probably owing 

 to the rubbing thn ears had received in the takiug-out of the skull. 



As far as I can discover, there are only six mammse in the female 

 — one pair almost in the axillae, and two pairs close together in the 

 inguinal region. 



The intestines nave unfortunately been removed from both speci- 

 mens, so that I have not been able to examine the csecum. 



Measurements. 



Ad. cJ. 2 (type). 



Head and bodv 6*0 4'1 



Tail ' 8-0 6-1 



Hind foot 1-33 1-2 



Forearm and hand 1*6 1"3 



Ear-conch, length '^ 



Muzzle to ear I "5 



It will thus be seen that, by its external characters only, M. blan- 

 fordi is a most distinct species, its whole appearance being quite 

 different from that of any other Rat that I have seen. Its large 



