Mus maurus, _Waterh._ in Proceedings of the Zoological Society of
London, for February, 1837, p. 20.
_M. pilis suprà purpurescenti-nigris; subtùs plumbeis; auribus
parvulis, pallidè fuscis: caudâ corpus ferè æquante._
DESCRIPTION.—The character of the fur of this animal nearly resembles
that of _Mus decumanus_; it is, however, of a harsher nature: the
general colour of the upper parts and sides of the body is
purple-black, arising from the longest hairs being of this colour,
and likewise the tips of those which are next in length; the
latter, however, excepting at the tip, are white, and this white
is not entirely hidden, even when the hairs are in their ordinary
position: on the head the hairs assume a brownish hue, and are
tolerably uniform: the limbs, and under parts of the body, are of
a deep gray colour, with a faint purple-brown wash: the under fur
is gray: the ears are small, of a brown-white, or very pale brown
colour, and furnished with minute brown hairs: the small,
scattered, bristly hairs of the tail are of an uniform brownish
black colour. The hairs of the moustaches are black at the base,
and grayish at the apex.
In. Lines.
Length from nose to root of tail 11 3
of tail 7 6
of tarsus 1 8
of ear 0 6¼
from nose to ear 2 2