Descriptions of East Asiatic Mammals 257 
The cheek pouches of Cricetiscus often contain seeds. The 
animals are sometimes active in the afternoon. 
Miller's Hamsters, Phodopus, are small desert-living species 
with the feet short and the tail even shorter. The species of 
eastern Asia are P. bedfordice from Shensi and northwest and 
P. prcedilectus from central Manchuria. The color of P. bed- 
fordice is drab gray with pure white underparts ; the length of 
its head and body is 3 inches, tail % inch, hind foot % inch. 
P. prcedilectus, smaller in size, is said to have a prominent white 
patch over the ear and the eye, and the posterior half of each 
ear white. The head and body measure 2% inches, tail % inch, 
hind foot % inch. Like the previously mentioned Little Ham- 
sters, Phodopus have capacious internal cheek pouches, which 
they pack full of seeds. The pouches are emptied by pressing 
with the paws. 
The Korean Hamsters, Asiocricetus hampensis and yama- 
shince, were reported by the Japanase mammalogist Kishida. We 
know little about them. 
The Cricetine Mole Rats of the subfamily Myospalacinse, like 
the Bamboo Rats, bear a strong external resemblance to our 
American Pocket Gophers. They are believed by some authors 
to be close relatives of the Cricetines, by others to be derived 
from the same stock as the Meadow Mice, Microtinse. In either 
case they are specialized for subterranean life. The entire 
skeleton is massive and strengthened. The skull is broad and 
the incisor teeth very heavy. Only one genus, Myospalax, is 
recognized. It is a native of China, Manchuria, and southern 
Siberia. 
The Cricetine Mole Rats, as we may term these animals, in 
order to distinguish them from the True Mole Rats, Spalax 
(not found in our area), include several species. Their bodies 
are thick and chunky, the limbs short, powerful, and armed 
with immense digging claws; the tail is very short; the eyes 
