ALTICOLA 323 



Mount Everest ; this example is very different in colour from 

 adult animals from Ladak and Lahul, but it is closely approached 

 by the immature (though slightly older) specimens from Lahul. 



Skull differing from those of all the species of the first group 

 (i.e., those possessing a more complex ?«^) by its relatively shorter, 

 smaller, and more nearly square braincase, the interorbital region 

 appearing correspondingly longer. Post-orbital squamosal crests 

 quite weak, but appearing to be a little more salient in adults 

 than in adults of other species. Auditory bullpe of moderate size. 



Cheek-teeth characterized by the reduction and peculiar 

 form of )n^ (Fig. 91, 2a, i5, le). In this tooth in adults there are 

 three outer and only two inner salient angles ; the third triangle, 

 forming the third outer angle, opens behind into the posterior 

 loop ; the latter is extremely narrow and long, continued straight 

 backwards and forming (with the triangle at its base) about 

 half the length of the entire tooth. In young specimens a vestige 

 of the third inner angle is present, but this dies out in the deeper 

 portions of the crown brought to the surface by wear in adult 

 stages of growth (Fig. 91, 15, lo). In m^ the anterior loop is 

 short and there are four outer and four or five inner salient 

 angles (Fig. 91, 26). 



For external and cranial measurements, see tables at end of 

 volume. 



Remarks. — With the limited material at present at our disposal 

 no attempt to work out the geographical variation of this striking 

 species can succeed. Direct comparison of one of the three speci- 

 mens upon which Miller based his A. cricetulus with the type of 

 A. stracheyi and with the other material in the Museum from Ladak 

 shows that A . cricetulus must be treated as a synonym of A . stracheyi. 

 When Miller published his description the last-named species was 

 believed to have come from Kumaon, and besides the somewhat 

 immature and defective type only one other specimen, from the 

 Massimik Pass, Tibet, and that without proper measurements, 

 existed in the collections of Europe and America. The area 

 represented by the material now available is a large one, and having 

 regard to our experience with other species of Alticola, which 

 seem to have quite restricted ranges, it is surprising that this 

 material should show so little sign of any definite geographical 

 variation. In spite of a very close scrutiny I can find nothing 

 upon which to base subspecies ; but long series of specimens from 

 different localities will probably be more instructive. Probably 

 the more uniform conditions of the higher altitudes at which this 

 species lives have a good deal to do with its constancy of character. 

 It lives at a greater elevation than any other member of the genus ; 

 and its outward form, pelage, colour and dentition are all stamped 

 with a high degree of specialization. 



Sclater (Catal. Mamm. Ind. Mus., pt. 2, p. 90) refers a male (in 

 alcohol) collected at Dharmsala, Kangra, in the Punjab Hima- 

 layas, at an altitude of 16,000 feet, to this species. He states thatj 



