OCR Text |
Show 544 MR. O. THOMAS ON T H E [May 3, the lateral view of the skull (Plate LI. fig 4) redrawn from the adult specimen, in order that the properly developed form might be shown. The figure of this species (Plate L.) is taken from the immature specimen. There are, however, scarcely any extreme differences between the two individuals, except that of size. The teeth of M. blanfordi seem to be somewhat broader than in M. alexandrinus; and in this respect they resemble those of M. mettada. 1 1. MUS URBANUS. *Mus musculus, Ell. Madr. Journ. x. p. 214 (1839). *Mus nepalensis, Hodgs. J. A. S.B. x. p. 915 (sinedescr.) (1841). *Mus manei, Gray, Cat. M a m m . B. M . p. Ill (sine descr.) (1843), *Mus urbanus, Hodgs. Ann. & Mag. N . H . xv. p. 269 (1845). *Mus dubius, Hodgs. t. c. p. 268 (1845). *Mus homourus, Hodgs. t. c. p. 268 (1845). *Mus darjeelingensis, Hodgs. op. cit. iii. p. 203 (1849) (sine descr.); Horsf. Cat Mus. E.I. C. p. 143 (descr. orig.) (1851). Mus tytleri, Blyth, J. A. S.B. xxviii. p. 296 (1859). *Musrama, Cant., Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxxiv. pt. 2, p. 194 (1865). Hab. The whole of India, in houses. Malacca (Cantor). Fur short, crisp, quite spineless. General colour varying from bright fawn to dark rufous-brown ; belly but little lighter, never white as in 31. bactrianus. Hairs all over the body slate-coloured for three fourths of their length ; then follows a yellow or orange-coloured tip. On the back there is a certain admixture of black-tipped hairs, which, however, are absent in the brighter-coloured specimens. Tail generally decidedly longer than the head and body, sometimes only just about equal, brown, more or less paler beneath. Ears short, rounded. Mamma? 10, three pectoral and two inguinal pairs. Caecum of medium length and not very markedly curled round, 0*56 in. long in an adult male. Dimensions. Nepal (Hodgson). Darjiling Ceylon. (Blanford). a. o*. b. 2- c. o*. d. 2- Head and bcdy 2*6 3*0 3*05 3*0 Tail 3*27 3*23 3*20 3*54 Hind foot *65 -67 *69 *68 Forearm and hand .... '74 *80 *80 *79 Ear-conch, length .... *40 *40 '45 '43 Muzzle to ear -67 *75 '76 '76 This species, to which such a large number of names have been given, seems to be the common house-mouse of the whole of India and even of Malacca, as the Mus rama, Cant., of Blyth is undoubtedly referable to it, as proved by the type. Blyth and, following him, Jerdon considered that there were at least two species of house-mouse in India-the one, Mus homourus, Hodgs., being that of the Himalayan region, and the other, M. urbanus, that of the plains |