214 



Catalogue of Mammalia 



[Oct. 



' 37. — Mus Oleraceus, Sykes. 



Meinalka, ^ Canarese r C 



or V of i 

 Meina yellca) the Wuddurs ("Sa^expS". 



Mar ad ilez, Canarese ^5o%" gb<£) 



This species has, by mistake, be\ m designated as it/". Longicaudatus 

 in the distribution list at page 94, a terra applied to it in my notes, 

 some years ago, when I believed it to be undescribed, as in fact it was 

 at the time, but it was subsequently noticed by Mr. Bennet from a spe- 

 cimen taken home by Colonel Sykes.* 



Its colour is a bright chesnut above, beneath pure white. Head mode- 

 rate, muzzle somewhat obtuse, ears ovate, tail naked. 



The dimensions of a young female were : — length of body, 3 inches ; 

 of tail, 4 T Vhs ; total 7 T \ths ; of head, 1 ; of ear, 0 T %ths. 



The Meinalka is extremely active and agile, and difficult to catch. 

 I never procured its nest, but was told by the Wuddurs it lived always 

 in bushes or trees, up which it is able to run with great facility. Colonel 

 Sykes merely observes that " it constructs its nest of leaves of olera- 

 ceous herbs, in the fields." "Whence the designation he has adopted 

 for it. 



^38. — Mus Flavescens. — New species. 



This species somewhat resembles the last, but is nearly dou- 

 ble the size, is of a paler yellow colour, and was met with only in 

 out-houses and stables at Dharwar, but there in considerable numbers. 

 Habits social. It has been designated as Mus Rufus in the list at page 

 94; but besides that this term has been appropriated to other species, it 

 does not express the particular colour so well as that now adopted. This 

 is a pale yellowish brown above, and white beneath. The head is long, 

 *he muzzle pointed, the ears very large, sub ovate. 



Dimensions of an adult male : — length of body 5J inches j of tail 



^39. — Mus Musculus, Lin. 



Manei Buduga, Canarese £5o^^?37\ 



This I always considered to be the common mouse, but Mr. Gray 

 considered a specimen given to the British Museum to differ from the 

 European species. 



^ ■ * Proceedings, Zool. Soc. July 26, 1832.— P. 121. 



J 



