192 LLOYDS NATURAL HISTORY. 



in the English variety, length of head and body about 7 inches ; 

 of tail, 7j^ inches. 



Having a wide geographical range, the Black Rat is an ex- 

 ceedingly variable species, and, as is usually the case in such 

 instances, has received an almost bewildering number of aliases. 

 In addition to the typical form alluded to above, the following 

 more important varieties may be noticed. 



The Alexandrine Rat {Miis akxandrinus), from Southern 

 Europe, Egypt, Palestine, and Gilgit, is a southern variety 

 characterised by its softer reddish or greyish fur, and by the 

 under-parts being usually white. 



A third variety is the Tree-Rat {Mus rufescens), from India, 

 Ceylon, and Burma, which is very similar to the preceding, 

 but of inferior dimensions. 



Next we have the Hill-Rat {Mus nitidus), from Nipal and 

 Sikhim, distinguished by its shorter tail. 



More remarkable than all is the Andamanese Rat ijdus an- 

 damanensis), distinguished from the Tree- Rat by the intermix- 

 ture of a number of spines with the fur. From the characters 

 of the skull, which can alone be relied upon in distinguishing 

 allied MuridcB, Mr. Thomas has, however, shown conclusively 

 that this form cannot be specifically separated from the Black 

 Rat. 



Distrilration. — The distribution of the typical variety of the 

 Black Rat has been pretty fully worked out by Mr. J. E. 

 Harting, who has devoted a chapter in a volume entitled 

 " Essays on Sport and Natural History " to this species. It 

 appears to be spread over the greater part of Europe, with 

 the exception of the extreme north, being unknown in Lap- 

 land. In Sweden, where it was formerly plentiful, it seems to 

 be now nearly exterminated ; and the same is stated to be the 

 case in most parts of Germany, although in certain districts it 

 has been reported to be on the increase. In France and Spain 



