1900.] OX MUS SYLVATICUS AND ITS ALLIES. 387 



black eminences. Behind the fourth pair commence two faint dusky 

 lines, which converge .slightly as they approach the abdomen, along 

 which they are continued for nearly a third of its length. Along 

 the first half of the abdomen there is a median line, forking pos- 

 teriorly. This is succeeded by a shorter line which forks similarly, 

 and behind this there is a transverse line. On each side of the 

 central marking there are a series of dots, the distribution of which 

 is shown in fig. 1. The body is thinly pubescent. The under 

 surface of the body is whitish except the small yellow-brown epigyne 



The legs are similar in colour, and, except for the spines on the 

 tibia? and metatarsi of the first pair, are furnished only with a 

 thin clothing of hairs. All exhibit black scopulse on the tarsi. 



Male unknown. 



A single adult female was found among a collection of insects 

 made by Dr. G. D. Havdand in Sarawak. Nothing is known 

 of its habits, but from the nature of the collection it is probable 

 that it was found inside a termites' nest. Its structure would 

 suggest that it does not pounce upon its prey in the usual Attid 

 fashion, but that it remains still and seizes passing insects with its 

 predaceous front legs. 



4. On Geographical and Individual Variation in Mus 

 syhaticus and its Allies. By G. E. H. Barrett- 

 Hamilton, F.Z.S. 



[Received March 2, 1900.] 

 (Plate XXV.) 



This paper contains some account of the various local forms or 

 subspecies of the Long-tailed Field-mouse, which can be recog- 

 nized from the material at present available in the collections of 

 the British Museum of Xatural History. 



The accusation has sometimes been brought against certain recent 

 workers on Mammals that their papers are "scrappy." I fear that 

 those who lightly make such assertions can have but little idea 

 how insignificant is our pi'esent knowledge of the local variations 

 of Old World mammals, and how numerous are the new facts 

 constantly being brought before us with the consequent need for 

 their permanent record. Even in the case of one of our commonest 

 mammals, such as that here under consideration, a careful study of 

 material, which is probably both greater in quantity and better in 

 quality than that which has come before any other writer, chiefly 

 impresses one by its inadequacy to afford the basis of anything like 

 a full account of the variations of the animal even in such a small 

 area as that of the British Isles. 



It is a curious sign of the times that in this country, at all 

 events, the naturalist who wishes to give some account of the local 

 variations or subspecies of any particular mammal must commence 



