OCR Text |
Show 514 DR. A. GUNTHER ON A ZOOLOGICAL [June 23, 19*5, greatest breadth 5*7; interorbital constriction, least breadth 7*0; interparietal, length 6*6, breadth 11*5; length of base of anterior zygoma-root 6*0; palate, length 30'0, breadth outside m1 10*3, inside 4*4 ; palatal foramina, length 10*1 ; back of incisors to m1 (alveoli) 15*7 ; upper molar series 90. This fine new Rat belongs to a small group of species inhabiting the East-Indian Archipelago, all of which agree with Mus macleari in being of large size, with very long tails tipped with yellow, and with small rounded ears. Their differential characters as compared to M. macleari are best put in tabular form : - M. macleari. Mamma? 1-1 = 4. Dorsal piles present. Front edge of anterior 2ygoma-root projecting, very convex. Palatal foramina long. Bullae very small. Christmas Island. M. celebensis, Gray1. Mammae 1-2 = 6. No dorsal piles. Front edge of anterior aygoma-root not projecting. Palatal foramina short. Celebes. M. xanthurus, Gray2. Mammae 1-2 = 6. Long dorsal piles present. Front of zygoma-root but little projecting. Palatal foramina long. Celebes. M. everetti, Giinth.3 Fur long, but the piles not enormously lengthened. Front of zygoma-root convex. Palatal foramina long. Bullae very large. Philippines. M. meyeri, Jent.4 Fur without lengthened piles. Supraorbital edges much developed. Front of zygoma-root slightly convex. Palatal foramina short. Teeth very large. Celebes. M. muelleri, Jent.5 Mammae 2 - 2 = 8 . No dorsal piles. Tail unieolor. Front edge of zygoma convex. Palatal foramina short. Teeth rather small. Bullae medium. Sumatra and Borneo. This last does not properly belong to the present group of species, but is only introduced to complete the list of those of which it is necessary to mention the distinguishing characters when describing M. macleari as new. All these species also differ from M. macleari in having the general colour grey or yellow instead of rufous. No other described species could possibly be confounded with the present most interesting new form, with which I have much pleasure in connecting the name of Capt. Maclear, of H.M.S. • Flying-Fish,' to whom the Museum is indebted for the Christmas-Island specimens. 51 P. Z.S. 1867, p. 598. a Loc. cit. 3 P. Z. S. 1879, p. 75. * Notes Leyd. Mus. i. p. 12 (1878). * Op. cit. ii. p. 16(1879). |