Descriptions of East Asiatic Mammals 26s 
The Himalayan Meadow Mice, genus Alticola, are very- 
close relatives of Red-backed Mice. Clad in long dense fur, they 
occur for the most part among the mountains of the Himalayas 
and Tibet and northward into central Siberia. The typical 
species is A. stoliczkaniis from northern Ladak. Several other 
species are known also from Ladak, Kashmir, and adjoining 
territory. Alticola macrotis is found in the Syansk Mountains, 
east Siberia, near the Mongolian boundary. 
A subgenus of Alticola, named Platycranius (meaning "flat- 
skulled"), has a still more northern distribution. A. (P.) 
alliarius is found about Lake Baikal in Siberia and perhaps in 
the coastal ranges of the Maritime Provinces. Alticola stolicz- 
kamis is colored straw-buff, with the dark gray bases of the long 
silky fur often showing through. The tail, hands, and feet are 
whitish. Species of the extreme north are grayer dorsally. The 
length of the head and body is 4 inches, tail 1 inch, hind foot 
%o mcn - Another species, A. strelzovi, is larger; the first two 
corresponding dimensions are 5% an d 1% inches. 
The Mice of the genus Alticola seem to correspond in Asia to 
the Snow Mice of Europe, Chionomys nivalis, which live at 
high levels among the mountains and which also have the tail 
white. 
The Old World Water Rats, genus Arvicola, are typified 
by the rather large, strongly amphibious, gray-brown Water 
Rats of Europe, which may often be seen swimming in ponds. 
These are relatives of the Meadow Mice, Microtus, but have 
aquatic adaptations and ways of life. They are represented in 
western North America. There is also a terrestrial branch of 
the genus, A. terrestris, a. subspecies of which, A. t. jacutensis 
of Yakutsk, should be sought in the Siberian coastal regions. 
The last mentioned, with very long, dense fur and underfur, is 
colored dark gray-brown. The length of the head and body 
varies from 6 to 6 1 /2 inches, tail 4 to 4% inches, hind foot 1% 
to 1% inches. Certain kinds of field Mice from China formerly 
