No. 566] NEW VARIETIES OF RATS AND GUINEA PIGS 67 



ently it differs from the wild gray (or agouti) variety by 

 the pink-eyed variation alone. It is not a true yellow 

 variety at all genetically, though (like the pink-eyed gray 

 mouse) it resembles one superficially because of the yel- 

 low ticking of the agouti fur. 



It is also quite distinct genetically from the albino 

 variation seen in white rats, yet its "dirty white" color is 

 enough like the appearance of the albino to permit mis- 

 taking one for the other. Possibly this is why the pink- 

 eyed variation may have been for some time overlooked. 



Mr. Eobinson has not answered my inquiries, but Mr. 

 Mariott writes in detail about his observations and ex- 

 periments. 



Under date of October 11, 1913, he says: 



The first rat with any semblance of fawn in it that I had was caught 

 in a trap on a provision merchant's premises in Chesterfield. You could 



caught at a malt-house in close proximity to the other premises, [in all] 



the first brought to me, which was a buck. When first caught it was 



wild rat. It was a source of trouble getting it to mate, killing no less 

 than 20 does before mating. I eventually got it mated to 2 does, one a 



young, a buck and P a doc. which in n a :)l ,Oi, with »„ >rhHc at all* The 

 result from the Japanese cross was 7 young, 5 does and 2 bucks, which 



