RHIZOMVS. 95 



Spalax xanthodon, Nordniann in Demidoff Voyage dans la Russie* 

 Spalax typhlus, Blasius Saugeth. Deutsch., p. 400 (1857) J Blyth Cat. no. 

 415, p. 126 ; Radde Zool. J. B., iv, p. 1044. 



Disirihution. — South-Eastern Europe and Western Asia, extend- 

 ing to the eastern shores of the Caspian Sea, and to Mesopota- 

 mia and Syria. 



a-b. 2 Ale. I skull ^ Hungary Hungarian Mus., A.S.B. 

 and juv. 



c. Skin Sarepta, Russia Brit Mus. [Ex.] 



d. Stuffed Beyrout J. C. Parker (1855), A-S.B. 



Genus RHIZOMYS. 



Rhizomys, Gray P. Z. S., p. 95 (1831) ; Type, R. sinensis. 

 Nyctocletes, Temminck Monogr. Mamm., ii, p. 42 (1835-41) ; Type, R. 

 sumatrensis. 



Anderson has monographed this genus in his Anatomical 

 and Zoological Researches, and his account, which is illustrated by 

 plates of several of the species, is so complete that there is 

 nothing additional to be added ; representatives of all the species 

 except Rhizomys minor from Siam and Rhizomys sinensis from 

 China, will be found catalogued below. 



Key of the Indian Species. 



a. Somewhat larger, head and body from 9 to 12 inches in length. 



b. Fur soft, thick and brown with longer white-banded hairs 

 causing a grizzled appearance ; sides of the face pale, 



R. pruinosus, p. 96. 



h? Fur harsh, no under fur, with a dark median streak on the 

 top of the head ; cheeks and sides of the head bright red. 



R. erythrogenys, p. 96. 



a? Somewhat smaller, head and body about 7 inches in length, 

 fur very soft and thick, the basal two-thirds uniformly gray 

 the apical third bright chestnut, most intense on the head. 



R. badius, p. 97. 



Rhizomys sumatrensis. 



Mus sumatrensis. Raffles Linn. Trans., xiii, p. 258 (1822). 



Rhizomys sumatrensis, Gray P.Z.S., p. 95 (183 1) ; Cantor J. A. S. B., 



XV, p. 255; Blyth Cat. no. 400, p. 122; '\d. J . A. S. B , xl'iv, Burfna 



List, p. 41 ; Anderson Anat. Zool, Res., p. 322. 

 Spalax javanus, G. Cuvier Regne Anim., 2nd ed., i, p. 21 1 (1S29). 

 Nyctocleptes dekan, Temminck Monogr. Mamm., ii, p. 44, pi. xxxiii 



(1835-41); Gervais Voyage Bonite Zool., i, p. 54, pis. x, xi, figs. 1-3*. 

 Rhizomys cinereus, McClelland, Calc. Journ. N. H,, ii, p. 456 (1842). 



