ALLEN: MAMMALS OF THE PHILLIPS PALESTINE EXPEDITION. U 



Apodemus sylvaticus tauricus (Barrett-Hamilton). 



Taurus Wood Mouse. 



Mus sylvaticus tauricus Barrett-Hamilton, Proc. Zool. soc. London, 1900, p. 

 412. 



Three specimens from Shiba, Rasheya, and Ain Hersha respectively, 

 localities near the southwest base of Mt. Hermon, belong to the syl- 

 vaticus group, and here represent nearly the southern limit of its range 

 in Palestine. Two of these, though nearly growTi, are in the immature 

 slaty gray pelage, and the third is an adult male. Barrett-Hamilton's 

 name tauricus probably applies to these specimens, though he gives 

 no description beyond the length and breadth of the type skull (23 X 

 12 mm.). His type is an alcoholic in the British Museum from Zebil 

 in the Bulgar Dagh, southern Asia Minor, and thus not very far from 

 Palestine. The adult skin brought back by Dr. Phillips's expedition 

 is a very pale buffy animal uniformly 'lined' above with black hairs 

 and quite without the russet tints of true sylvaticus. Judging from 

 descriptions alone it is nearly indistinguishable from A. s. dichrurus 

 of the European Mediterranean region and in its measurements it 

 shows no appreciable differences. The skull of the adult male is 24.6 

 mm. in greatest length as against 23 mm. given for the type of tauricus, 

 but the latter measurement may well be within the limits of varia- 

 bility for an immature individual. - 



Apodemus flavicollis (Melchior). 

 Yellow-collared Mouse. 



Mus flavicollis Melchior, Den Danske Staats og Norges pattedyr, 1834, p. 99. 



Two specimens, one adult, the other immature, from Ain Hersha 

 near the base of Mt. Hermon extend the recorded range of this species 

 well into Palestine and probably indicate nearly the southeastern 

 limit of its distribution. Through the kindness of Mr. Gerrit S. 

 Miller, Jr., I have been able to compare these with a series of European 

 flavicollis, including topotypes from Denmark, in the U. S. N. M. 

 The adult, in russet pelage, is a mere shade paler than any of the 



