38 HEPORT ON ZOOLOGY, MDCCCXLIII. 



Jacquemont discovered in the valley of Gombar, lying at 

 an elevation of 3500m., a Marmot, which has been described 

 by Is. Geoffrey as Arctomys caudatus. (1. c. p. 66, tab. v.) 



Blackish above, pale beneath ; tail 2-3ds of the length of the body, light 

 tawny above, blackish beneath, entirely black at the point ; the front teeth 

 white. The specimen sent is not larger than our Alpine Marmot, but 

 Jacquemont asserts that he has seen it a third larger. The Reporter would 

 observe, that this is probably the same species as that found by Vigne in his 

 journey to Lesser Thibet, on the high table-land of Drotsuh. 



Brandt has obtained from the Altai a new species of 

 Marmot (Ziesel), to which he has given the name of Sper- 

 mophilus brevicauda. (Bullet, de St. Petersbourg, i, 1843, 

 p. 364.) 



"Habitus Sp. Etersmiumi. Cauda adinodum brevis. Rostri dorsuni, 

 supercilia, area triangularis sub oculis, peduni anteriorum anterior facies, 

 regio aualis et crnrum posterior facies, pallide ferruginea. Pectus et ab- 

 domen albida, fcrrugineo lavata. Dorsum sordide et pallide ferrugineo, 

 nigricante et albido mixtum. Caiida supra, cjusdem fere coloris, infra 

 ferruginea, apice alba, parum fasciculata. Auriculse minima?." Body 11" 2'", 

 tail with hair 2". 



Waterhouse has characterized at greater length than previously (Ann. 

 Nat. Hist, xii, p. 52) liis genus Anomalurus, without, however, expressing 

 liimself definitively as to whether it is still to be referred to the Sciurina, or 

 now to the Myoxina. 



MYOXINA. Bunneister (Hallesche Literaturzeitung, 1843, 

 p. 524) is inclined to regard the Myoxina, not as a distinct 

 family, biit rather as a subdivision of the Murina. 



As a reason for this, he states that the conformation of the cranium, the 

 orbital opening, the spinous process of the second dorsal vertebra, and the 

 union inferiorly of the tibia and fibula, are the same in the Dormice as in 

 the Mice. This is correct, although I do not attribute much importance to 

 the two latter characters ; but, on the other hand, the number, to say nothing 

 of the form of the molars, differs in the Dormice from that in the typical 

 Mouse; besides this their habit is different, and, what is a main point, 

 whilst in all the other Rodents the caecum is excessively developed, it is 

 entirely wanting in the Dormice. I rely principally upon the last character 

 in forming a separate family of the Myoxiua, which is placed midway 

 bftwecn the Murina and the Sciurina. 



1 have lately had an opportunity of ascertaining that the car urn i.- 



