524 MR. W. L. SCLATER ON SOME INDIAN MURID.E. [Juiie 17, 



alexanchinns) is merely a geographical race of the old English Black 

 Eat {Mus rattus), from which it is distiuguishable by its softer 

 reddish or greyish fur and by its white belly. This race {Mus rattus 

 alexanclrinus) was originally described from Egypt ; it has also been 

 recorded from other countries bordering on the ilediterranean and 

 Palestine. Specimens indistinguishable from this form Avere got by 

 Dr. ScuUy from Gilgit and are now in the Museum. 



Mus rattus riifescens, the common Tree-Rat, is found over the whole 

 of India, Cej'lon, Assam, and Burma, ranging south as far as Mergui 

 certainly, perhaps as far as the ilalay Peninsula. 



To the already long list of synonyms of this subspecies may be 

 added Mus sladeni and M. yunnanensis of Anderson, which seem to 

 be identical in every way with the typical Mus rattus rufescens. 

 This Tree-Eat is only distinguished from the Alexandrine Eat by its 

 slightly smaller size. 



The Hill-Eat (il/cs rattus nitidus)is another variety, distinguished 

 by its rather shorter tail and reddish colour ; it is found in the 

 eastern Himalayas and in parts of Assam. 



..8. llus BowEESii, Anderson, Anat. & Zool. Ees. p. 304, pi. xvii. 



Mr. Thomas (P. Z. S. 1886, p. 62) has, since Dr. Anderson's 

 original description of this species, recorded the occurrence of a Eat 

 probably identical from Muni pur. 



This Eat is apparently allied to Mus rattus rufescens, but is 

 distinguished at once by its very large size — its length from muzzle 

 to vent being 9-0 inches and that of its tail 10-26 inches ; the 

 corresponding measurements of a typical specimen of Mus rattus 

 rufescens being 5-5 and 6" 7 inches. 



The skuU is not distinguished by any marked peculiarity except 

 that the antorbital plate does not project above in the marked way 

 in which it does in Mus rattus rufescens, but is evenly rounded and 

 slightly sloping forward (see Plate XLIV. fig. 2). 



9. Mus EtTBKicosA, Audcrson, Anat. & Zool. Ees. p. 306. 



This species was described from a unique specimen procured by 

 Dr. Anderson in Yunnan. It does not seem to differ from the 

 ordinary Hill-Eat (Mas rattus nitklus), except in its very dark 

 ventral surface ; whether this is merel}- an individual variation 

 or a constant character can only be proved by the examination of 

 more specimens. The skull does not present any very special 

 features. 



10. Mtrs ruLVEscENs, Gray ; Thomas, P. Z. S. 1881, p. 537. 



Thomas (/. c.) identifies with this species Mus cinnamomeus of 

 Blyth, which was procured by Major Berdmore in the Schwegyeen 

 District of Burmah. The type of Mus cinnamomeus agrees in every 

 respect with the description given by Thomas of Mus fulvescens, so 

 that there is a little doubt of the correctness of bis identification. 

 It seems that this species must be an exceedingly scarce one, as 



