722 Mr. 0. Thomas on 



Myospalax rothschildi^ sp. n. 



Size smallest of genus. Teeth minute. 



Size of an adult male, as gauged by skull, rather less than 

 in females of M. cansiis, the smallest of the known species of 

 tlie genus. Fur soft and fine ; hairs of back 14-15 mm. in 

 length. General colour above " drab-grey," the sides clearer, 

 in parts approaching " dcru-drab " ; under surface scarcely 

 lighter. Head not daikened, clearer grey. Hands and feet 

 greyish white, hairy above except on the digits close to the 

 claws. Tail fairly long, greyish along the top, whitish on 

 sides and below. 



Skull strongly built, depressed, its upper profile slightly 

 concave over the front of the orbits. Zygomata widely 

 spread, their middle portion angularly projected outwards, 

 very different to tiie even rounded curve found in other 

 species. Nasals falling just short of premaxillse posteriorly. 

 Supraorbital edges, masseteric ridges, both parietal and 

 transverse, and occipital hump as in M. cansus, except that 

 there is no median occipital ridge. Front edge of anterior 

 zygomatic plate with scarcely any trace of the marked 

 downwardly projecting ridge found in other species. 



Incisors comparatively slender, the breadth of the upper 

 pair together 3'6 mm. Molars exceedingly small, smaller 

 in proportion to the skull than in any other species ; 

 their notches and angles as in AJ. cansus, except that, as in 

 il/. smitliii, there are two internal re-entrant angles on m^. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in flesh) : — 



Head and body 164 mm. ; tail 45 ; hind foot 26. 



Skull : greatest (condylo-nasal) length 40; condylo- 

 incisive length 36*5 ; zygomatic breadth 28"2 ; nasals 15 ; 

 interorbital breadth 7"6 ; breadth on transverse crests 24 ; 

 palatilar length 12'8j palatal foramina 6*5; upper molar 

 series (crowns) 7*6, (alveoli) 8*2 ; bi'eadth of m^ 1"6. 



Hoh. 40 miles S.E. of Tao-chou, Kan-su. 11,000'. 



Ty2?e. Adult male. B.M. no. 11.11.1.2. Original 

 number 194. Collected 11th April, 1911, by Dr. J. A. C. 

 Smith and presented by the Hon. N. Charles Rothschild. 



This striking little species is at once distinguished from all 

 others by its small size, widely splayed zygomata, and small 

 teeth. I have much pleasure in naming it in honour of its 

 donor, to whose generous help the Museum is so constantly 

 indebted. 



It is very remarkable that three species of this genus, 

 M. cansus, swithii, and rothschildl, should all occur so close 

 together to the S.E. of Tao-chou. There is, however, no 

 question as to their entire distinctness from each other. 



