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Show 524 MR. O. THOMAS ON T H E [May 3, markedly different from that of Mus proper; and until recently Nesokia has been looked upon as a full genus ; but Dr. Anderson, in the paper referred to above, states that he considers it to be only a subgenus of Mus, an opinion in which for the present I am disposed to concur. Dr. Anderson's paper contains a full and careful account of the group; but as he had not the advantage of examining Hodgson's and Gray's types, some of the synonyms were incorrectly placed, the natural result of such descriptions as had been given of these Rats. I have been compelled to reduce the number of species somewhat, Dr. Anderson having allowed seven Indian species, while I consider that there are only four, with two subspecies or varieties. The reasons in each case will be given below. The known range of the subgenus is, east and west, from Palestine to Formosa, the British Museum possessing specimens from both these localities, and, north and south, from Kashghar to Ceylon. The Palestine Nesokia, which was collected by Canon Tristram, appears to represent a new species ; but, without seeing more specimens, I do not care to describe it as such. The following S3rnopsis, based on Dr. Anderson's " Sections," will show some of the chief distinguishing characters of the Indian species:- I. Anterior palatine foramina much shorter than the upper molar series; mammse 8 M. (N.) hardwickei, p. 524. II. Anterior palatine foramina as long as or longer than the molar series; mammse 14-18 M. (N.) bengalensis, p. 526. III. Palatine foramina as in II., though rather more open behind. Mammae 12. a. Nasals broad, size very large M. (N.) bandicota, p. 528. b. Nasals narrow, size smaller M. (N.) nemorivagus, p. 529. 1. Mus (NESOKIA) HARDWICKII. a. Var. hardwickei. Arvicola indica, Gray <fe Hardw. 111. Ind. Zool. i. pi. xi. (1832) (nee Mus indicus, Bechst.). * * Mus hardwickei, Gray, Charlesw. Mag. N . H . i. p. 585 (1837). Nesokia hardwickei, Gray, Ann. & Mag. N. H. x. p. 265 (1S42). *1N. griffithii, Horsf. Cat. M a m m . Mus. E.I. C. p. 145(1851). Spalacomys indica, Peters, Abhandl. Akad. Berl. 1860, p. 143, Taf. ii. f. 1 (skull) (1860). M. {N.) hardwickei, Anders. J. A. S. B. xlvii. p. 221 (1878). Hab. From Sind and the Punjaub eastwards to the North-west Provinces. b. Yar. huttoni. *Mus huttoni, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv. p. 139 (1846). Nesokia huttoni, Blanf. Zool. Pers. p. 59, pi. vi. fig. 1 (1876). M. (N.) huttoni, Anders, t. c. p. 223 (1878). Hab. Persia, Afghanistan, and the more elevated parts of Sind. Specific characters.-Fur variable in quality. Length from six to The asterisks prefixed to the names in the synonymy throughout, designate those species of which tbe types are in the British Museum. |