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Show 1 9 0 5 .] MAMMALS OF CHINA. 3 8 9 In external appearance it resembles Mus cremoriventer Mill, very closely; the bicoloured tail, however, serves as an easily distinguishable feature, but that it is very nearly related is shown by the tendency in the young and even some adults to the uni-colorous tail. The immature pelage is, as a rule, soft and destitute of bristles, and resembles in colour true M. confucianus. This species seems to be most abundant at Ching Fen Ling, but it also occurs at Kuatun. Mus LATOUCHEI TllOS. Mus latouchei Thos. Ann. & Mag. 1ST. H. ser. 6, vol. xx. p. 113 (1897); id. P. Z. S. 1898, p. 772; Bonh. Fasc. Malay., Zoology, vol. i. p. 34 (1903). General colour of the upper parts clear grizzled grey. Fur light at its base, with a greyish-brown subterminal portion and white tip, thickly intermixed with soft spines similar in colour but lacking the white tip. Under parts pure white, the hairs being white to their bases. Hands and feet white along their margins and on the digits, brownish in the centre. Tail dark, covered with short hairs, white at the tip in some individuals. Ears large, rounded and almost naked. The skull most nearly resembles that of Mus bowersi, from which it differs, according to Mr. Thomas, in having the line of the fronto-premaxillary and fronto-nasal suture running straight from side to side, instead of being bowed backwards, and the supraorbital rims more developed. The incisors are broad and pale yellow. Dimensions (of type from skin). Head and body 310 mm.; tail 290 ; hind foot 60. Skull. Greatest length 58 mm.; basilar length 48 ; palatilar length 28 ; diastema 17 ; length of incisive foramina 11 ; length of nasals 23-5 ; interorbital breadth 8 ; breadth of brain-case 22 ; length of molar series 10. Habitat. The type came from Kuatun, as do all the series of specimens that have hitherto been obtained, although Mr. Thomas mentions a specimen in the Paris Museum from Pere David. It is evidently a scarce Rat, and little seems to be known of its habits, but according to Mr. La Touche it inhabits the forest country. Its uniform grizzled-grey colour and large size are sufficient to distinguish it from all other Chinese rats. Mus fl a vip e c tu s A. M.-E. M u s ------ ? Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1864, p. 382. no. 26. Mus canna Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 636. Mus alexanclrinus Geoffr., Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 635. Mus flavipectus A. M.-E. Nouv. Arch, du Mus. vol. vii. p. 93 (1871); id. Rech. Mamm. p. 289, pi. 42. fig. 1 (1874); Bonh. Fasc. Malay., Zoology, vol. i. pp. 35 & 37. Mus ouangthomce A. M.-E. Nouv. Arch, du Mus. vol. vii. p. 93 (1871); id. Rech. Mamm. p. 290, pi. 40. fig. 3 (1874). |
