6o2 MURID^— EPIMYS 



tectorum, is clearly antedated by Rafinesque's frugivorus, and must 

 therefore give place to the latter. 



Local name : — Topo tettajolo in Tuscany. 



Distribution and status : — E. r. frugivorus is the common rat of 

 the Mediterranean region and North Africa. Northwards it ranges 

 throughout Italy into southern Switzerland. In France it is known 

 from the south (Var), and it occurs also in Brittany and Normandy 

 (de risle). In Iberia alexandrinus appears to be the prevalent form, 

 but we have seen specimens of frugivorus from Jerez, Cadiz. It 

 is found on most of the Mediterranean islands ; ^ in Greece, Montenegro, 

 and Asia Minor ; and it also occurs on the island of Sokotra. On the 

 more remote islands, at least, it breeds quite true to type, and in the 

 warmer parts of its range it leads an outdoor life, often inhabiting and 

 nesting in trees in situations remote from human dwellings ; in these 

 warmer districts it does not tend to be replaced by norvegicus. 



In Britain it not infrequently makes an appearance in the ports. 

 As authentic instances of this kind, may be cited one captured at 

 Sunderland {Field, 26th Jan. 1889, 126; B.M., 89.1. 28.1); another taken 

 on board ship at Liverpool (B.M., 6.10.25. i); and a specimen with 

 pale lemon belly found by Patterson at Yarmouth. A good many 

 were obtained by Coward on Lundy, where the two other sub-species 

 and norvegicus were also found. 



It is often found on ships, and has been carried by them to all parts 

 of the world ; in the warmer countries it not infrequently succeeds 

 in establishing itself as a colonist, resuming at the same time, in many 

 cases, a free outdoor existence. The British Museum collection 

 contains many examples of such " colonial " frugivorus collected in 

 tropical South America, Madagascar, Australia, and Tasmania. 



Description : — E. r. frugivorus agrees in all characters, save those of 

 pelage and colour, with typical rattus. The fur is often remarkable 

 for its length, density, and softness. The upper parts are light grey 

 or brown, brightening sometimes to russet, and darkened along the 

 middle line of the back to a greater or less extent by long black hairs. 

 The under parts are pure white or pale yellow in colour, the ventral 

 hairs being light-coloured to their roots ; sometimes a patch of bright 

 orange hue is present upon the throat or chest. The line of demarca- 

 tion is always regular and sharply defined along each flank. The feet 

 are usually white above, but they are sometimes washed with light 

 yellowish-brown. 



1 Rafinesque {loc. cit.) describes the Sicilian animal as living on fruit and nesting 

 in the trees ; he adds that it is edible— a circumstance which caused Lesson to refer 

 the animal, with some hesitation, to the genus Myoxus. In the Balearic Islands, 

 Thomas {Proc. Zool. Soc, London, 1901, i., 42) found it " living a wild natural life, away 

 from the houses," and he thought it "probably perfectly indigenous in the islands." 



