OCR Text |
Show 646 MR. E. R. ALSTON ON ACANTHOMYS LEUCOPUS. [June 17, Although Dr. Jentink places the species in the genus Mus, he retains Gray's specific name on the ground that 3Ius leucopus (Raf.) has since been separated as a Hesperomys. In this I cannot agree; because a species has been removed to a new genus its name does not become unoccupied in the old one. Surely Dr. Jentink would not think it admissible to name a new Mouse Mus aquaticus because the Linnsean Mus aquaticus has been separated as an Ar-vicola ? Nor can I see any analogy in his further suggestion that "if Alston objects to the name of this species he should also reject the name Uromys rufescens, and adopt the specific name muscivora, Pierson Ramsay, because, under the name of Mus rufescens, a Mouse was already described by Gray." The cases will only be parallel when Dr. Jentink can prove that m y Uromys rufescens * is a true 31us, and does not belong to the perfectly distinct genus Uromys. When he has shown this I will readily withdraw m y name in favour of Mr. Ramsay's. The following is a fuller description than Gray's of the North- Australian Spiny Rat, which I propose to call Mus TERR^E-REGINAE, sp. n. Acanthomys leucopus, Gray, P. Z. S. 1867, p. 598 (descr. orig., vide supra). Mus leucopus, Jentink, Notes fr. Leyden Mus. i. p. 8 (part., nee Desmarest). Fur stiff and harsh both above and below, most of the hairs being developed into flattened channelled spines; on the back are many longer cylindrical hairs. Whiskers weak, not longer than the head, mixed black and white. Ears rather large, rounded, perfectly naked. Feet remarkably large and stout. Tail considerably shorter than the head and body, naked, the scattered minute hairs being hardly visible to the naked eye. Colour above dark reddish brown2, the spiny hairs being dusky, tipped with rufous, the longer hairs black ; lips, lower parts of cheeks, chin, breast, belly, inside of limbs, and feet yellowish white3; tail dusky, irregularly marked with yellowish patches and rings. Measurements of type specimens (a, an adult, and 6, a young female) :- a. in. millims. Length of head and body .... 8*25 = 210 tail 7*10 = 180 „ ear *75 = 20 hind foot 1*57 = 40 1 P. Z. S. 1877, p. 124, pi. xviii. 2 Not greyish brown as stated by Gray. 8 The yellowish tinge may be due to the spirit in which the specimens are preserved. |