MESOCRICETUS 



607 



region in Cricetus cricetus ; chin dull whitish ; upper lip cream- 

 buff. Face, muzzle and most oE region between ear and eye like 

 back but paler ; roundish area covering most of cheek below eye 

 and extending forward to base of whiskers strongly tinged with 

 dull ochraceous ; minute hairs on eyelids black ; behind and 

 somewhat below cheek spot is a clear cream-buff area continuous 

 with that of side of neck ; ear silvery grey in noticeable contrast 

 with surrounding parts ; region behind ear strongly tinged with 

 buff; crown between ears and slightly in front of them blackish,* 

 this area continued backward as a fairly well defined median 

 stripe about 3 mm. in width to a little behind shoulders ; a 

 better defined black stripe about 6 mm. wide extends obliquely 

 downward and forward from front of shoulder to about angle of 

 jaw ; this stripe thrown into strong relief by clear cream-buff 

 area lying between it and the downward extension of somewhat 

 darkened body colour toward upper portion of leg ; feet and tail 

 buffy white. Immature individuals are lighter and less tinged 

 with wood-brown above, and less buffy on sides ; the dark 

 mai'kings essentially as in the adults. 



Skull. — Apart from its smaller size the skull bears a general 

 likeness to that of Cricetus cricetus ; profiles essentially as in the 



FIG. 120. 

 Mesocricetus newtoni. 



Nat. size 



larger animal. Brain-case shorter and deeper than in Cricetus 

 cricetus, its upper surface with much larger flattened area, the 

 border of which bends abruptly outward at front of parietal and 



* This blackish marking ahnost exactly corresponds in size, form and 

 position to the flattened area on dorsal surface of brain-case. 



