764 



KODENTIA 



PITYMYS MULTIPLEX Fatio. 



1905. [Arvicola'] multiplex Fatio, Arch. Sci. Phys. et Nat., Geneve, 4tli ser., 



XIX, p. 193, February 15, 1905 (Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland). 



1906. M[icrottis'] leponticus Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 7th ser., 



XVII, p. 419, April, 1906 (Locarno, Ticino, Switzerland). Type in 



British Museum. 

 1908. PiUjmys multiplex Mottaz, Bull. Soc. Zool. do Geneve, i, p. 105 



November 15, 1908. 

 1910. Pitymys multiplex Trouessart, Fauue ^Mamm. d'Europe, p. 189. 



Type locality. — Lugano, Ticino, Switzerland. 



Geographical distribution. — Italian Switzerland and northern 

 Italy, south to Florence ; limits of range not known. 



Diagnosis. — Similar to Pitymys druentiris and P. fatioi but 

 decidedly larger (hind foot usually 16 to 17 mm., condylobasal 

 length of skull, 24 to 25 mm.) ; skull with dorsal profile notice- 

 ably convex ; auditory bullae not specially inflated. 



External characters. — Ears relatively smaller than in Pitymys 

 snhterraneus ; feet less slender, and both palmar and plantar 

 tubercles sensibly reduced, their relative size approaching that 

 in the members of the ibericus group. 



Colour. — The colour so nearly resembles that of Pitymys 

 subterraneus as to need no detailed description. The dark wash 

 along back tends to be rather extensive, and the entire upper 

 surface is frequently suffused with a light bister or raw-umber. 

 Feet usually with less dusky clouding than in P. subterraneus. 



SJiull. — As compared with that of Pitymys subterraneus the 

 skull is throughout larger and more heavily built, though the 

 surface remains equally smooth, and the parietal and temporal 

 ridges are never more than barely indicated. Dorsal profile 

 slightly but evidently convex throughout. Brain-case larger 

 and less depressed than in P. subterraneus, the postorbital ridges 

 rather well developed, sometimes with a slightly indicated angular 

 projection, which, however, never becomes so distinct as in the 

 small species of Microtus. Length of brain-case to back of 

 interparietal about equal to vvddth over roots of zygomata. 

 Occiput squarely truncate posteriorly, the condyles nearly or 

 entirely hidden when skull is viewed from above. Auditory 

 bullae of the same relative size as in P. subterraneus, but with 

 smoother, more evenly inflated finish. 



Teeth. — The teeth resemble in general those of Pitymys sub- 

 terraneus, but the third upper molar is not so long (though still 

 sensibly exceeding the middle tooth) and the posterior portion of 

 its terminal loop is distinctly reduced, the dentine space scarcely 

 as large as that in the first oviter triangle, and the incurved 

 enamel portion very short and abruptly hooked, thus distorting 

 the crescentic form of the loop as a whole. Posterior outer 

 triangle usually opening rather widely into terminal loop, though 

 sometimes completely isolated, the exact opposite to the condi- 



