730 OLDFIELD THOMAS. 



greyish forehead, the gre) r running further back on to the crown, blackish eye-rings and 

 greyish cheeks, but the latter are a darker and more slaty grey, this colour running round 

 on to the throat ; chin white. Ears small, a blackish patch behind their backs. Hands white. 

 Feet white, but the body colour running down to the ankles. Tail rather short, coarsely 

 ringed (7 scales to the cm.), slaty grey above and white below. 



Skull shorter and more rounded than in rattoides. Muzzle broader. Supraorbital edges 

 slightly ridged, and with a faint indication of protorbital processes. Zygomatic plate rather 

 narrow, its front edge slanted. Palatal foramina fairly long for the group. 



Dimensions of the type, measured on skin : 



Head and body 175 mm.; tail 143; hindfoot 36.5. 



Skull, greatest length 42; condylo-incisive length 38; zygomatic breadth 19; nasals 

 15.5; interorbital breadth 7.6; breadth of braincase 17.3; zygomatic plate 3.6; palatilar length 

 18.2 ; palatal foramina 6.2; upper molar séries (worn) 7.8. 



Hab. and Type as above. 



This species is readily distinguishable from the ordinary species of Melomys by its 

 long greyish hair, its comparatively large size, and its smoothly rounded skull. 



21. Melomys stalkeri, Thos. 



(f. 49, 51, 223. Ç. 50, 52. Prauwen-bivak, Idenburg Riv. W. C. van Heurn. 



cf. 32, 41, 222. Q. 33, 36, 37, 39. Pionier-bivak, Mamberamo River, W. C. van Heurn. 



Q in al. VII. North New Guinea. 



çf in al. XVI. K. Augusta River. 



Thèse spécimens probably represent Jentink's sexplïcaUis, which was described from 

 the Sentani Lake, Humboldt Bay, but I doubt if they hâve any valid différence from the 

 original stalkeri of Eastern British Papua. 



[10 in al. Kloof-bivak and other localities on the Noord River. Dr. VERSTEEG.] 



22. Melomys platyops, Thos. 



çf 28, 29, 30, 31, 34, 35, 3S, 40, 219. Pionier-bivak, Mamberamo River. W. C. van Heurn. 

 cf 53i 5S> 56, 57, 48, and XII, young in al. Prauwen-bivak, Idenburg River. W. C. van Heurn. 



Found originally in British Papua, and since obtained on the Utakwa River, Dutch 

 New Guinea, by the Wollaston Expédition. Varies in the degree of whiteness of the under- 

 side of the tail, some spécimens having this organ hardly lighter below than above, whilè 

 in others it is sharply bicolor. 



23. f Melomys rubex, Thos. 



140 spécimens. Doormanpad-bivak, 1410 m. W. C. van Heurn. 



A small species of a warm rufous colour, especially posteriorly. 



Size comparatively small, form slender. Fur soft and fine, hairs on back about 10 mm. 

 in length. General colour above dark reddish brown, becoming richer rufous („auburn") pos- 

 teriorly. Undersurface washed with dull grey varying to greyish rufous, without the sharp 

 line pf démarcation, the hairs ail broadly slaty basally; a small patch on throat more per- 

 manently whitish. Head dark greyish brown, with prominent face markings. Ears short, 



