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Show 64 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE MAMMALS OF [Jan. 19, edge of the anterior zygoma-root is concave, with an overhanging pointx instead of being convex, (2) the palate is produced to behind the edge of the last molar, instead of ending opposite its centre. The first of these characters, although fairly common among the Australian Muridae, is, to the best of m y knowledge, not found in any of the other Muridae either of Asia or Africa. In all other characters, in the development and direction of the supraorbital ridges, the length and shape of the nasals, the angles formed by the sutures on the brain-case, the length of the palatine foramina, & c , the two skulls are absolutely identical. Teeth large and powerful; incisors short and stout, the lower ones projecting only about 3 m m . beyond the bone, smooth, rounded, and ungrooved in front, dark orange-yellow above, rather lighter below; molars broad and heavy, their structure as in Mus, and with no resemblance to those of Golunda; last molar nearly as large as the second, consisting both above and below of two well-defined equal-sized laminae. Measurements of the largest skin, a female. Head and body 125 m m . ; tail 106 ; hind foot 25-0. Of a specimen softened and placed in spirit, head and body 118'0 : hind-foot 26*5; heel to front of last foot-pad 12'0; forearm and hand 31*5; ear, above crown, 12*0. Skull. Length, bregma to nasal-tip 26*0 ; greatest breadth 15'0 ; length of face 14*5 ; nasals, length 10#0 ; interorbital breadth 4*5; palate, length 16*0 ; incisors to m 1 8*3 ; palatine foramina 5*1 ; molar series 5*8: length of anterior zygoma-root 4*0; lower jaw, length (bone only) 18*3 ; to incisor-tips 19*2 ; projection of incisors (behind) 4*5. The general appearance of this species is infinitely more like that of the Gulandi (Golunda ellioti) than that of any of the other Indian members of the genus Mus. So like Golunda is it, indeed, in colour, proportions, and even in the general shape of its skull, that it might easily be mistaken for this animal, were it not for its slightly longer tail, less spiny fur, ungrooved incisors, and a few other little prominent characters which might easily be overlooked by a superficial observer. It thus seems to bear the same interesting relationship to the Gulandi that Sigmodon hispidus, S. and O., does to Rheithrodon alstoni, Thos.2 The only species to be referred to in describing M. humei as new is Mus erythrotis, Blyth 3, from the Khasia hills, the colours of which agree very closely with those of this species, but which is stated to be only 57 m m . in length, with a tail 60 m m . long, and a hind foot, including the claws, only 17'4 m m . long, a difference in size far too great to admit of any question as to the specific distinction of the two animals. 1 This type of zygoma-root is figured Ann. Mag. N. H. (5) ix. p. 414, (1882). 2 SeeP.Z.S. 1880, p. 693. 3 J. A. S. B. xxiv. p. 721 (1855). |
