STRIATED MOUSE. 69 



roundish white spots^ disposed longitudinally along 

 the upper parts of the body : the ears are short 

 and roundish ; the nose blunt ; the tail thick and 

 whitish, and of the same length with the body, 

 and nearly naked. This species is, according to 

 Seba, a native of India. He assures us that he 

 purchased it alive of a sailor, who had brought it 

 from India, and had tamed it to such a degree*, 

 that every day it would come out of its cage to be 

 fed, and would sit on its master s shoulders, and 

 even feed occasionally from his lips. Seba adds, 

 that it continued equally tame while it lived 

 with him ; but, as if lamenting the loss of its for- 

 mer master, died in a short time. After this de- 

 scription, so particularly detailed by Seba, it seems 

 strange that some authors have appeared to doubt 

 the real existence of the animal as a genuine spe- 

 cies. Dr. Pallas, however, seems to suspect that 

 either the same, or a similar species, inhabits the 

 regions about Mount Caucasus; having heard 

 some reports of such ah animal ; yet confesses his 

 doubt as to the specimen described by Seba, on 

 account of his having discovered in Seba's col- 

 lection a specimen inscribed Mus striatiis Indicus, 

 which was nothing more than the young of the 

 striped Barhary Squirrel ( Sciurus Getulus ) , witli 

 the tail still naked, or resembhng that of a mouse. 



