1898.] MAMMAIiS FROM KUATUN, CHINA. 773 



rattus group, and is closely allied to the Himalayan M. r. nitidus 

 Hodgs. For the present it may be conveniently referred to as a 

 subspecies of M. rattus, just as has been done with the Indian and 

 Malayan members of the group. 

 " House-rat at Kuatun." 



19. Mus EDWABDSi Thos. 



Two specimens. 



Originally described ' on one of Pere David's specimens. 



" This is, I believe, a forest-rat. It is not commonly trapped, 

 at least in the spring. Only two specimens were taken during 

 oiu" stay." 



20. Mus CONFUCIAXUS M.-Edw. 



rifty specimens. 



This must be one of the most common of the rats of this part 

 of China, as every collection contains a number of examples of it. 

 It appears to be a smaller relative of the Formosan Mas coxingi, 

 and is also closely allied to the Himalayan M.jerdoni Blyth. It 

 is indeed not impossible that it may be found to intergrade into 

 the latter. 



Of all Muridse the rats of this group seem to be the most 

 variable both in colour and size, so that it is very difficult to come 

 to a satisfactory conclusion about their interrelationships. The 

 present series shows the usual wonderful variability, many shades 

 of red, yellow, and grey, and all degrees of spininess being found 

 among them. Speaking generally they tend to fall into two 

 groups, the one greyish, with white-tipped tail and comparatively 

 narrow skull, the other reddish with the tail only white below, 

 and the skull comparatively broad ; but the two groups are not 

 yet fully differentiated, as intermediate individuals in regard to 

 each of the differential characters are to be found among the 

 series. In actual size, like M. coxingi, they do not seem to vary 

 quite so much as the Bornean examples of the group, to which 

 reference was made in a paper on the Muridae of that island ''^. 



" Very abundant everywhere ; they differ much among them- 

 selves." 



21. Mtjs cheveieei M.-Edw. 



Seventeen specimens. 



This is the Chinese representative of the common Long-tailed 

 Field-mouse, Mus sylvaticus. 



Judging by the present series, it is rather more constant 

 in colour than its European relative M. sylvaticus, and its 

 change from the grey phase to the rufous is carried out more 

 abruptly than in Europe, so that the intermediate specimens so 

 commonly caught here do not occur there, while on the other hand 



1 P. Z, S. 1882, p. 587. 



- Ann. & Mag. N. H. (6) xiv. p. 4.52 (1894). 



