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Show 392 MR. J. L. BONHOTE ON THE [Nov. 28, Habitat. This species was originally described from Tamsuy in Formosa. But there is also a specimen collected by Mr. Swinhoe at Amoy, and other specimens in the Museum from W. Fokien. This is undoubtedly a small form of M. flavipectus, distinguishable, apart from its size, by the more elongated ear and finer annulations to the tail. It is possible that the original losea from Formosa, may prove to be different from the form inhabiting the mainland; and this is the more likely, as in the paper describing the original losea Mr. Swinhoe referred to the specimen from Amoy as Mus rufescens. For the present, however, owing to lack of material, ] have no alternative but to consider them all as losea. Mus g r iseipec tu s A. M.-E. Mus indicus Geoffr., Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1870, p. 635. Mus griseipectus A. M.-E. Nouv. Arch. Mus. 1871, p. 93; id. Rech. Mamm. p. 290, pi. 42. fig. 2 (1874). Similar to M. flavipectus, but slightly larger. Tail about equal in length to the head and body. Fur soft and destitute of spines. General colour above yellowish brown ; fur slate-grey at base, with yellowish tips, and thickly interspersed among these are longer thin black hairs, which predominate along the median dorsal area. Upper surfaces of the feet and hands white. Under parts white or greyish, the fur being dark at its base as in the upper parts. Skull. The skull, except in being slightly larger, closely resembles that of M. flavi])ectus, and calls for no special comment. Dimensions. Head and body 196 mm.; tail 160; hind foot 33 ; ear 22. Skull. Greatest length 45 mm.; basilar length 36; palatilar length 22; diastema 13; length of incisive foramina 8 ; length of nasals 17; zygomatic breadth 21*5 ; interorbital breadth 7; breadth of brain-case 18 ; length of molar series 8. Habitat. Sze-cliuen (type-locality); also found in W. Fokien. There is but little further to add with regard to this species. It is most likely to be confused with M. flavipectus, but the characters distinguishing it from that species have already been given. There is, however, another small character which it may be as well to notice. In M. flavipectus the hands on their upper surfaces are brown margined with white, while in all the specimens of griseipectus that I have examined the upper surfaces of the hands are uniformly white. Mus n orvegicus Erxl. Mus decumanus Pall., Swinhoe, P. Z. S. 1864, pp. 186, 382 ; id. op. cit. 1870, pp. 233, 635. Mus humiliatus A. M.-E., Thos. P. Z. S. 1898, p. 772 (partim). |