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Show 1881.] INDIAN SPECIES OF MUS. 525 seven inches ; tail about equal to the body without the head. Mammas 8, 2 pectoral and 2 inguinal pairs1. Skull very stout and strong, readily distinguished by its very short and narrow anterior palatine foramina, which are not so long as the first two upper molars, while those of the next species, N. bengalensis, are as long as the whole upper molar series. Teeth more rounded than in the other Nesokia?, the laminae more compressed from before backwards. (See Dr. Peters's figure referred to above.) Varietal Characters.-Var. hardwickei. Fur generally short and harsh, yellowish brown above, dirty white below. Feet shorter than in var. huttoni. Var. huttoni. Fur long and soft, bright rufous above, dull yellow below. Hind feet longer than in var. hardwickei. Measurements. Var. hardwickei. Var. hiMoni. cf.Tong, tf. Jaco- <$. Balu- Sind. babad, Sind. chistan. Head and body2 5*9 6*3 6*5 Tail3 3*8 4*35 4*5 Hind foot4 1*2 1*2 1*45 Forearm and hand5 1-7 1*61 1*95 Ear-conch, length6 *52 *59 '57 Muzzle to ear7 ..., 1*45 1*45 1*55 These measurements would appear to be rather below the average, those given by Dr. Anderson being considerably more. I think there can be but little doubt as to the necessity of uniting the two forms of this species. One of our specimens (a), from Tong, Sind, has the long, soft and bright-coloured fur of var. huttoni, while 1 Mr. Blanford (I. c.) stated that there were only 6 mammae in his Persian specimens; but he must have overlooked one of the anterior pairs, as those of his specimens which came to the British Museum have 8, as also, fide Dr. Anderson, have those that went to Calcutta. 2 Taken by placing the head and body as nearly as possible fiat, and then measuring in a straight line, and not along the curves. 3 From the anus to the end of the vertebra?, one point of the compasses being placed quite in the anus, so as to get to the true root of the tail. * From the calcaneum to the tip of the longest toe, not including the claws. 5 From the olecranon to the tip of the longest finger, also without the claws. This is a most useful measurement for showing the comparative lengths of the fore and hind limbs, that of the hand only being extremely difficult to take with accuracy. 6 From the external root of the conch (see Plate LI. fig. 7, a to b). The skin shifts so much on the head that measuring from the meatus is very unsatisfactory. 7 From the tip of the nose to the inside of the auditory meatus, one point being placed in the meatus as far as it will go without hurting the skull. This is a measurement which should always be given, being almost the only one that can be relied upon for perfect accuracy in showing the general size of the animal. It is particularly useful with regard to the proportion that the limbs and tail bear to the trunk. , , I may here state that every measurement given is taken from a specimen preserved in spirit, except where otherwise stated, and that therefore the size of the body will be found to be somewhat larger when measured m the flesh. |