344 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Oryzomys brevicauda. The Garden Rat. —Widely distributed 

 in both islands; the bulk of my captures consisted of this 

 species, and a long series showed that there was considerable 

 difference in the colour of the pelage. 



Nectomys palmipes. Water Rat. — On the margins of the 

 small streams this rat was always taken, and never away from 

 water. The immature specimens were much darker and the 

 pelage much shorter than in the adults. 



Akodon urichi. Black Garden Rat. — Difficult to catch, and 

 scarce everywhere ; only taken in Trinidad. 



Mus rattus. Black Rat.— This species was only secured in 

 one cocoa shed, and had only taken up its quarters there after 

 the Brown Rat had been poisoned. 



Mus decumanus. Common House Rat. — Generally distributed 

 wherever I collected. They were trapped in the out-door kitchens 

 used in the West Indies, but in the day time retired to the bush 

 to return at nightfall 



Mus masculus. House Mouse.— The foregoing remarks also 

 apply to this species. I found both this and the House Rat 

 living in the arrowroot fields in St. Vincent. 



Heteromys anomalies. Pouched Rat. — Local in its distribution, 

 and found at some elevation (800 feet). I had reliable information 

 of its existence in Tobago. It is at times caught with both 

 cheeks stuffed with seeds or corn. 



Loncheres guiance. Porcupine Rat. — In Trinidad these curious 

 spiny rats are common on the large mangrove bushes that fringe 

 the mouth of the Caroni river ; they are to be seen lying parallel 

 with the branches at some height above the water. They must 

 be pugnacious in their habits, as both their ears and their 

 tails are often found mutilated. The immature of this rodent 

 shows very little difference in the length of the ears compared to 

 the adult, and is in contrast with other small rodents belonging 

 to kindred species. My friend Mr. R. R. Mole, of Trinidad, 

 informs me that they are the chief food of the large water 

 Pythons, and in their excreta he has found great quantities of 

 their typical spiny bristles. I caught one of these rats in Tobago, 

 in a tree a considerable distance from the Great Dog River ; it 

 was larger than any of the long series I obtained in Trinidad, 

 and the basal portion of the pelage was more red in coloration. 



