567 



Teeth woak ; crown area of upper pre- 

 molar decidedly more than hali that 



of first molar (Greece) V. nitcdula wiiujei, p. 570. 



Teeth robust ; crown area of upper pre- 

 molar scarcely half that of first 

 molar. 

 General colour of adults yellowish 

 brown above (Hungary and east- 

 ward) I). nUi'diUa nUedida,^. 568. 



General colour of adults greyish brown 



above (Tirol and eastern Alps) D. niiedula inlcrmedim, p. 569. 



DYROMVS NITEDULA Pallas. 



(Synonymy under subspecies.) 



Geographical distribution. — South-ea.stern Euroiae from eastern 

 Switzerland and north-eastern Italy into Asia Minor ; north to 

 northern Hungary. Limits of range not known. 



Diagnosis. — General characters as in the genus ; tail about as 

 long as head and body ; face with dark line from muzzle to ear. 

 Skull slender, the rostrum rather long ; auditory bullae not 

 sjDecially enlarged. 



External characters. — Externally as in EUoniys quercinus, 

 except that tail is uniformly rather long-haired throughout, its 

 form moderately distichous ; ear smaller, extending barely to 

 middle of eye when laid forward, the ridge on its inner surface 

 above meatus high and valve-like, terminating externally in a 

 conspicuous angular projection on margin of conch ; relative 

 lengths of digits as in E. quercinus ; fore foot longer and 

 narrower, the terminal lobe of postero-internal tubercle larger 

 and more distinct ; hind foot with surface of sole between 

 tubercles less papillose, scarcely more than reticulate, and 

 postero-internal tubercle not much longer than that at base of 

 thumb, though narrower. Mammaj : p 2 — 2, i 2 — 2 = 8. 



Colour. — Upper parts ranging from a light, clear greyish 

 brown to a distinctly yellowish brown with a russet tinge, the 

 face usually paler than back, the tail like rest of dorsal surface, 

 but lighter or more greyish, and sprinkled with whitish hairs at 

 edges. Underparts and feet whitish or very pale bufF, this 

 colour usually sufi'using under side of tail. A well defined 

 blackish line extends from base of whiskers to ear, including eye 

 (width on upper lid about 1 • 5 mm., on lower lid about • 5 mm.), 

 and is often rendered more conspicuous by a light edging along 

 upper border. 



SJcuU. — In general ajipearance the skull resembles that of 

 Eliomys quercinus, though in size and certain peculiarities of form 

 it more nearly approaches that of Muscardinus avellanarius. It 

 suggests that of Eliomys quercinus in form of brain-case (though 

 the parietals are relatively Broader), of interorbital region, of 

 rostrum as viewed from above, and in the gradually spreading 



