MUS. 



305 



This species is closely aUied to tliose rats which are distinguished by yellow 

 bellies and which are more or less arboreal in their habits, and in some of which the 

 hairs become very coarse and broad, and convex on one side and concave on the 

 other. I obtained one example at Hotha, in Yunnan, at an elevation of 4,500 feet. 



* MuS SLADENI, n. S. 



Head rather elongated ; snout somewhat elongate, the distance between the 

 inner canthus of the eye and the front of the muzzle equalling the distance between 

 the external canthus of the eye and the back of the ear ; muzzle rather deep. Ears 

 large and rounded, sparsely clad with short hairs ; the breadth of the ear across 

 its middle, laid out flat, generally equalling the interval beween the inner 

 canthus of the eye and the front of the muzzle, and its height from the lower 

 margin of its external orifice to its highest point is the equivalent of the distance 

 between the external canthus and the back or lower margin of the ear. The feet 

 are well developed, and the hind feet are rather strong ; the claws are moderately 

 long and sharp, and the feet-pads are markedly developed, and would seem to indicate 

 a pai'tially arboreal habit of life. The tail slightly exceeds the length of the body 

 and head ; it is rather coarsely ringed, there being three rings to each one-tenth 

 of an inch ; the hairs are sparse and brown. 



General colour of the upper surface reddish-brown, more rufous than brownish, 

 palest on the head, many of the hairs with broad yellow tips ; cheeks greyish-rufous ; 

 chin, throat, and chest whitish, also the remaiaing under parts, but with a tinge of 

 yellowish ; feet pale yellowish- white ; ears and tail pale brownish. 



Measurements. 



This species is closely allied to M. nitidus, Hodgson, but its skull is less 

 elongated, with a shorter facial portion, with very much shorter nasals, and with a 

 more abruptly defined frontal contraction than either in M. nitidus, or Mus rufescens 

 so called. 



Inches. 



Inferior border of foramen magnum to tip of premaxills 1"42 



Tip of premaxillse to anterior end of palate 0"55 



Length of palate 0'32 



„ molar line 0'29 



Inferior margin of external border of supraorbital foramen to tip of premaxill* . . . 0'37 



Breadth across parietals 0'61 



' Slightly imperfect. 



p2 



