LAGOMYS ROYLEI. 227 



The Himalayan Mouse-hare, 



Descr. — General colour deep rabbit-gray or brown, with a yellowish-gray 

 tinge, more or less rufous on the head, neck, shoulders, and sides of body ; 

 ears elliptic ; roundish at tip, nearly nude, with some long white hairs ex- 

 ternally ; muzzle hairy, brown ; lower lip pale; under parts dingy whitish ; 

 whiskei's long and fine, white anteriorly, the posterior ones blackish, 2^ 

 inches long. The haii-s of the body are dark bluish at the base, with a 

 broad gray ring and a dark brown point, some of them slaty-black, then 

 rufous-brown, finally tipped dark ; the fur delicately soft and fine. 



Length varies from G to nearly 8 inches ; of one 7 inches long, the 

 head 2 ; ears |ths ; hind-feet 1 \. 



Some specimens have much more rufous than others. Hodgson 

 described his L. nipalensis (which Blyth identifies with Roylei) as deep 

 bay from snout to mid-body, black freckled with paler rufous thence to 

 the vent ; below chin and belly pale bay, limbs the same. This indi- 

 cates a somewhat darker coloration than is usually met with. 



This species of Lagomys was first made known from skins sent home 

 by Royle from the Chor mountain, not far from Simla. This hill, I may 

 observe, is some distance south from the Snowy range, and on one of 

 the outer ranges of the Himalayas. I have observed it in Kumaon also 

 at some distance on this side of the Snowy range, near the Borendo 

 pass, and elsewhere, at heights varying from 11,000 to 14,000 feet. It 

 has been found all along the Himalayas at suitable elevations, from 

 Kashmir to Sikim. It is also found on the other side of the Snowy range, 

 but in some parts is replaced by another species. It lives always in 

 rocky ground or among loose stones, several pairs together. They come 

 out to feed, but dart into their holes on the smallest alarm. It is said 

 that they hibernate during winter. 



Lagomys Curzonka has been lately described by Hodgson from Tibet 

 and the interior of Sikim. This species replaces the common species in 

 Ladak, and other countries beyond the Snowy range. 



Lagomys riifesccns, Gray, is another species from Afghanistan, and 

 there are others in Northern and Centx'al Asia, and one or two in North 

 America. 



Q 2 



