208 



Catalogue of Mammalia 



[Oct. 



-The Mus Gtganteus of Hardwicke exhibits similar characters, but 

 they both diifer from the Florida rat, the type of Neotoma (as figured), 

 in having the naked scaly tail of the common rat, whereas in the Florida 

 species it is covered with hair. 



The Gerbillus Indicus of Hardwicke unites both these characters, the** 

 surface of the molars being the same as that of the two Indian species 

 indicated above, while the tail has the same peculiarity as the Florida 

 rat, with the addition of a tuft at the extremity. But it is separated 

 from the latter by the lengih of the hind foot, and the disposition of 

 the foes, and by the carinated upper incisors; characters peculiar to 

 Gerbillus. These common po nts of resemblance, however, show how 

 intimately the different groups are connected, and how gradually they 

 pass into each other. The remaining species all belong to the group of 

 Mus proper, with tuberculated cheek teeth. 



Of the other species,not included, that have been indicated by authors, 

 no examples have been observed. These are Mus Indicus of Geoffrey, 

 Cat. Mus. Par. Desm. VI. 2£'9, which may perhaps be identified with 

 Gray's Arvicola. The Mus Striatus of Seba,* adopted by Linnaeus, 

 Shaw,f and the French Naturalists,! has never been observed ; neither 

 has the spiny rat of Pondicherry (M. Perchal). 



The species observed in the Southern Mahratta Country were— 



With flat molars : 



a. scaly tails — short metatarsi {Neotoma). 

 Mus Gtganteus. 



Arvicola Indica. 



b. with hairy tail — long metatarsi {Gerbillus). 

 Gerbillus Indicus. 



With tuberculated molars : 



a. Covered with soft hair {Mus). 



Mus Decumanus Lin. 



Bat/us Lin. 



Mettade New sp. 



Golundee New sp. 



Olerareus , Sykes. 



Rufus New sp. 



Musculus Lin. 



b. Covered with hair and spines. 



Platythrix. , Sykes. 



Boodaga New sp. 



* Thes. II. 22. + Zool. VI. t. 133. * Ency. Meth. t. 68. f. 6. 



