IQ07.] Dr. Hossack: The Rats of Calcutta, 7 



Oldfield Thomas, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1881, p. 521. 

 W. L. Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1890, p. 523. 



„ „ Cat. Mamm. Ind. Mus., p. 62 (1891). 



Anderson (loc. antea cit.) is the leading authority on Nesokia, and exhaustive papers 

 by Blanford on Golunda ellioti and Mus metada will be found in the Journ. Asiat. Soc. 

 Bengal, part ii, vol. xlv, p. 165 (1876), and vol. xlvi, p. 288 (1877), respectively. 

 Of the family Muridse the only subfamily likely to be found of importance 

 as a diffuser of plague is that of the Murinse, and of the seven genera composing 

 it probably the only two of importance are Mus and Nesokia. Of the 22 

 Indian species of the genus Mus 10 are rats, 12 are mice. Mice, though I have 

 as a rare exception known them to die of plague, are of no practical impor- 

 tance ; so only the ten species of rats remain to be considered. If the number 

 of specimens recorded is any guide, then the following five species are very rare and 

 of no practical importance : M. fulvescens, M. bowersi, M. berdmorei, M. blanfordi, M. 

 chiropus. This leaves in addition to the two described in my paper, namely M. rattus 

 and M. decumanus, only the three, M. concolor, the common little House Rat of 

 Burma, M. jerdoni, a small Himalayan rat distinguished by its bicoloured long tail 

 with lower surface white, and M. niv eiv enter , also a small Himalayan hill rat, but dis- 

 tiagiiished from the previous one by its tail being shorter, almost the same length as 

 the body. Of the genus Nesokia it is unnecessary to give details, as full measure- 

 ments of skulls and badies of all species are given in the table at the end of this 

 paper, and most of them are discussed. The above is only a forecast, and subse- 

 quent observations may prove it incorrect. If so, it will have fulfilled its purpose, 

 which is merely that of attempting to define the present limits of our knowledge, in 

 order that subsequently the gaps may be filled. The following are general refer- 

 ences which cover all references not included in Bonhote's list and include some 

 which will be of value rather to the beginner than to the ordinary student of the 

 Muridœ : — 



1. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc, vol. xiii, part iv, p. 215, 1905 : L. Doncaster, " An 



Experimental Investigation of the Colour Variation of Rats." 



2. Journ. Linn. Soc Zool., vi (1862), p. 71 : S. J. A. Salter, " Interbreeding 



of Mus decumanus, rattus and alexandrinus ." 



3. Proc Zool. Soc, 1900: Barrett-Hamilton, G. E. H., " Variations of Mus." 



4. Proc Roy. Phys. Soc, ed. 1904 : Clarke, W. E., " Forms of Mus Musculus." 



5. Proc Zool. Soc, 1903, ii, p. 72 : Bateson, " Pigment in Mice." 



6. Tomes' Dental Anatomy. 



7. Nomenclature of Colors for Naturalists, Ridgway. 



8. Mammals Living and Extinct, Flower and Lyddeker. 



