400 MB. OLDFIELD THOMAS ON MAMMALS 



typical, specimen of P. pallidus, received from Mr. Cuming in 1853, some time 

 after Mr. Waterhoiise described P. cumingt, of which it was noted at the time 

 to be a "variety." This specimen is, of course, that referred to in my letter to 

 Dr. Meyer, it not having been up till now distinguished from the typical dark-coloured 

 P. cumingi. 



P. palNdtcs differs from P. cumingi in its larger size, longer and much softer fur, 

 and paler colour. It is, however, very variable in colour, as has been described by 

 Dr. Meyer on his specimens, and as those of Mr. Whitehead confirm. One of the 

 latter even has no dark saddle-mark, a characteristic that seems to be nearly invariably 

 present. In the skulls also there is an astonishing degree of variability in the size and 

 shape of the interparietal bone, a variability I have never seen equalled elsewhere. 

 But I have quite failed to divide the forms into two or more races, as the characters 

 drawn from the interparietal run altogether at cross purposes to those drawn from the 

 external ones. 



" This splendid Rodent, larger and more powerful even than Crateromys schadenlergi, 

 is, on the high mountains of North-west Luzon, much rarer than that species. In six 

 months I obtained only four specimens, all of which were captured by the Igorrotes, 

 aided by their dogs. This Eat, they told me, lived in old tree-trunks, and one specimen 

 was slightly singed, having been smoked out of a hole in an old tree. The Pldceomys 

 is also found on the coast-level, two of my specimens having been shot at Cape Engano 

 as they were ascending trees in the early morning. The Engaiio pair have much 

 shorter fur and are browner underneath than those obtained in the higher altitudes, 

 but still show the same black markings en face and shoulders ; two of the highland 

 specimens are without black markings, but are undersized and probably immature. It 

 is possible that Phlceomys jJcdUdus is a grey variety of P. mmingi, which is a brown- 

 coloured animal, as we find three distinct varieties of C. schadenbergi. 



" A grey Phloeomys occurs in the island of Marinduque to the S.W. of Luzon. The 

 specimen I saw was in a kerosene-oil tin on a steamer in which I was a passenger. 

 This animal had a white face like those just mentioned from Lepanto. 



" Listrilution. Luzon and Marinduque. 



" Igorrote name, ' Eiit-eut.' " — J. W. 



Mus EVEKETTi Giiuth. 



a-c. 6 ? . Monte Data, 7500 feet, Feb. 1895. 



This fine Eat was hitherto known only from a single specimen, the type, now in the 

 British Museum, and Mr. "Whitehead's beautiful skins are therefore particularly 

 acceptable. 



" Much commoner than the next species, which is found in the same locality." — 

 J. W. 



