884 



RODENTIA 



slender that they can scarcely be detected without the aid of a 

 lens. Hind foot with sole naked to heel, the usual six pads 

 well developed, the spaces between them occupied by numerous 

 secondary tubercles, some of which attain nearly the size of the 

 primary pads. Fore foot with thumb reduced to a mere 

 tubercle with rudimentary nail. Palm rather broad, with five 

 main pads and numerous secondary tubercles. Ear rather large, 

 extending about to middle of eye when laid forward, its surface 

 finely pubescent. Fur at middle of back consisting entirely of 

 flattened bristles about 1 1 • 5 mm. in length and about • 4 mm. 

 in breadth at widest region. The few woolly hairs which occur 

 among the bristles are almost entirely concealed, though a few 

 extend beyond tips of bristles, especially on rump. On sides, 

 shoulders, head and underparts the bristles become so slender as 

 to resemble ordinary coarse hair. 



Colour. — Ground colour of sides and upper parts buff, clear 

 and bright along sides, strongly tinged with ecru-drab on head, 

 neck and shoulders. Spines of back light bluish grey (nearly the 

 pearl-grey of Ridgway) through basal two-thirds, then buff with 

 the extreme tips horn-colour, the result being a peculiar coarse 

 grizzle in which the buff decidedly predominates. On hind leg 

 the buff extends down outer side to ankle, but on front leg it 

 does not reach wrist. Underparts and feet creamy white, the 

 line of demarcation sharply defined, and extending along sides 

 of face to muzzle. Ears and tail dull brownish, the tail not so 

 dark below as above. 



SMI. — In general appearance the skull resembles a miniature 

 of that of Epimys ratius, owing to 

 the approximately similar develop- 

 ment and form of the ridges in 

 interorbital region and on sides 

 of brain-case. The brain-case is, 

 however, more depressed posteriorly 

 and relatively wider than in the 

 members of the black rat group, 

 the greatest width across lateral 

 ridges equal to fully 11 times 

 length of parietal along ridge. 

 Rostrum rather deeper and 

 narrower than in other European 

 Murinse. Interparietal very large, 

 strongly convex posteriorly, straight 

 or slightly convex anteriorly, its 

 area about equal to that of parietal. 

 Incisive foramina extending back 

 to about middle of first molar, 

 their length only about 1 mm. 

 less than that of diastema. Apart from its peculiar backward 

 extension in median line characteristic of the genus, the bony 



FIG. 180. 

 Acomys minous. Nat. size. 



