1877.] W. T. Blanford— Ow the Metdd Bat 289 



The genus Gohinda was originally proposed by Dr. J, E. Gray* for 

 two species, G. Ellioti and G. meltada. The former was described in the 

 paper mentioned above ; the latter is very im23erfectly known. Mr. lilyth 

 had no specimens of G. oneltada, and consequently could only copy the earlier 

 descriptions in his memoir on the Eats and Mice of India.f Dr. Jerdon, in 

 the ' Mammals of India' only repeated the characters given by Sir W. Elliot, 

 but he expressed a doubt whether the species ought to be included in the same 

 group as G. JEllioti, as the physiognomy, character of the fur, and habits 

 are distinct, I quite agree with Dr. Jerdon, and it aj)pears to me that the 

 characters of the skull and dentition fully confirm his suggestion. 



For the original discovery of this species and of most of the MuridcB 

 inhabiting the plateau of Southern India we are indebted to Sir W. Elliot 

 (at that time Mr. Elliot of the Madras Civil Service). The species was 

 originally named by Gray;]: Gohmda oneltada, the specific name being evi- 

 dently a misreading or misprint for mettada. The Metad rat was again 

 described by Sir W. Elliot§ himself under the name of Mus lanurjinosus 

 and an excellent account was given of its habits. Owing to the circumstance 

 that a peculiar caste of natives, the Wadaris|| or tank diggers of the 

 Mahratta country, catch and eat rats of various kinds, and naturally have 

 particular names for the different species, it is easier to obtain specimens, 

 and, which is even more imj)ortant, to identify them when obtained, than in 

 the case of most Indian micro-mammals. 



I am indebted to my friend the Eev. S. Eairbank of Ahmednagar for 

 an excellent series of the metacl rats, comprising five skins and five speci- 

 mens in spirit, all obtained from the Wadari of the neighbourhood. The 

 species appears much more abundant in the Ahmednagar district than the 

 Legyade or the Golundij although both occur and Mr. Eairbank has pro- 

 cured specimens for me. The original locality, Dharwar, is about 240 miles 

 south of Ahmednagar. 



As I have already stated, the species is not congeneric with Golimda 

 Ellioti. The incisors are not grooved, the molars are like those of ordinary 

 rats, and the palate is of the width usual in the family. I see no grounds for 

 removing the species from the genus Mus. 



The specific name is more difficult to decide. That meltada is a mis- 

 take is clear, but it is I think better to retain the oldest name, merely 

 correcting the spelling to mettada, than to adopt Sir W. Elliot's term 



* Charles worth's Mag. Nat. Hist. I, 1837, p. 586. 

 t J. A. S. B. 1863, XXXII, p. 352. 

 jl.c. 



§ Madras Jour. Lit. Sci., 1839, X, p. 212. 



II These people speak a dialect of Canareso and the names given to the different 

 rats are of Dravidian origin. 



