1881.] INDIAN SPECIES OF MUS. 547 



have never seen a specimen, preserved in spirit, in which the tail 

 was considerably shorter than the head and body, as it is there stated 

 to be. One of this very series, moreover, is in the British Museum; 

 but it is only a much stretched skin, in which, nevertheless, the tail 

 is but little shorter than the head and body. 



It will be seen by the table of measurements that in all the adult 

 specimens the hind foot is considerably shorter than the tibia, but in 

 an immature specimen (d) it is longer. This difference, combined 

 with the more dusky belly and more convex skull, inclined me at 

 first to consider this Sind specimen, and another quite agreeing with 

 it from Muscat, a distinct species ; but I now believe that these 

 differences are only due to immaturity. It is true that in both 

 specimens all the molars are fully grown up into their places ; but 

 they are not worn at all, as are those of the other specimens 

 measured. 



j^l3. MuS CERVICOLOR. 



*Mus cervicolor, Hodgs. Ann. & Mag. N. H. xv. p. 268 (1845). 



M. strophiatus, Hodgs. loc. cit. (1845). 

 121. albidiventris, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxi. p. 351 (1852). 



Hab. Nepal; Calcutta' (5/2/if7i). 



" Abundant in cultivated fields of the valley of Nepal " (Hodg- 

 son) . 



Fur above and below slate -coloured for three fourths of its length, 

 the tips being above pale fawn, quite hiding the slate, and below 

 white. Ears rather large, rounded, covered on both sides with very 

 short shining hairs. Tail usually about equal to the body alone, 

 without the head, by which character this species may be readily 

 distinguished from all other Indian Mice, with the exception of M. 

 (Leffffada) buduga (q. v.). Caecum short, pouch-like, bent round 

 upon itself. Mammaj 10, three pectoral and two inguinal pairs. 



The skull, viewed from the side, seems to be more flattened than 

 usual in the frontal and nasal regions. On the whole it is similar to 

 that of M. (L.) buduga ; but this flattening is much more strongly 

 marked in 31. cervicolor, L. buduga having a distinct convexity of 

 the outline just in front of the orbits. 



Dimensions. 



Nepal (Hodgson), 



a. c?. h. $. 



Head and body 2*9 2-9 



Tail 2-8 2-65 



Hind foot -65 -64 



Forearm and hand "80 '80 



Ear-conch, length •45 '49 



Muzzle to ear -82 -80 



' ? Lcggada buduga, Gr. 



