﻿small 
  Mammals 
  from 
  T>j(irk>'nf. 
  oOT 
  

  

  and 
  tlie 
  crown 
  vinaceous 
  buff. 
  Under 
  surface 
  pale 
  yellowisli 
  

   white, 
  not 
  sliarply 
  defined 
  laterally, 
  yellower 
  on 
  the 
  throat 
  

   and 
  belly, 
  becoinino- 
  gvadually 
  whiter 
  on 
  the 
  chin 
  and 
  under- 
  

   sides 
  of 
  limb?!, 
  but 
  without 
  the 
  marked 
  contrast 
  between 
  a 
  

   pure 
  white 
  chin 
  and 
  a 
  strongly 
  yellow 
  or 
  buffy 
  thro.it. 
  

   Palms 
  and 
  soles 
  with 
  an 
  intermediate 
  state 
  of 
  hairiness 
  

   between 
  that 
  found 
  in 
  altaica 
  and 
  longstaffi, 
  the 
  ends 
  of 
  the 
  

   digits 
  and 
  the 
  median 
  pad 
  exposed, 
  but 
  less 
  so 
  than 
  in 
  long- 
  

   stajfi, 
  and 
  the 
  proximal 
  carpal 
  pad 
  — 
  prominently 
  open 
  in 
  the 
  

   latter 
  species 
  — 
  quite 
  hidden 
  in 
  the 
  fur. 
  

  

  Skull 
  and 
  teeth 
  about 
  as 
  in 
  altaica, 
  though 
  the 
  inner 
  edge 
  

   and 
  antero-internal 
  corner 
  of 
  the 
  bullaj 
  are 
  less 
  angularly 
  

   prominent. 
  

  

  Dimensions 
  of 
  the 
  type 
  (measured 
  on 
  the 
  skin, 
  and 
  there- 
  

   fore 
  only 
  approximate) 
  : 
  — 
  

  

  Head 
  and 
  body 
  280 
  mm. 
  ; 
  tail 
  180 
  ; 
  hind 
  foot 
  45. 
  

  

  Skull 
  : 
  basal 
  length 
  48*5 
  ; 
  greatest 
  breadth 
  28*5 
  ; 
  inter- 
  

   orbital 
  breadth 
  11'5; 
  intertemporal 
  breadth 
  10"2 
  ; 
  mastoid 
  

   breadth 
  24 
  ; 
  palatal 
  lengtii 
  23*7 
  ; 
  maxillary 
  tooth-row 
  16'3 
  ; 
  

   p^ 
  6 
  ; 
  m\ 
  transverse 
  diameter 
  4*3, 
  breadth 
  of 
  inner 
  lobe 
  2*4. 
  

  

  Type. 
  Adult 
  male. 
  B.M. 
  no. 
  14. 
  5. 
  10. 
  64. 
  Original 
  num- 
  

   ber 
  438. 
  

  

  This 
  fine 
  weasel 
  is 
  intermediate 
  in 
  character.*, 
  as 
  in 
  locality, 
  

   between 
  M. 
  altaica 
  of 
  the 
  Altai 
  and 
  Al. 
  longstaffii 
  of 
  the 
  

   Upper 
  Sutlej 
  and 
  Ladak 
  ; 
  and 
  it 
  is 
  possible 
  that 
  hereafter 
  all 
  

   three 
  may 
  be 
  considered 
  as 
  subspecies 
  of 
  one 
  widely 
  spread 
  

   species. 
  The 
  marked 
  differences 
  in 
  the 
  degree 
  of 
  hairiness 
  

   of 
  the 
  feet, 
  however, 
  prevent 
  my 
  adopting 
  this 
  course 
  without 
  

   further 
  intergrading 
  material. 
  Apart 
  from 
  the 
  feet, 
  M. 
  sacana 
  

   may 
  be 
  distinguished 
  from 
  altaica 
  by 
  the 
  absence 
  of 
  contrast 
  

   in 
  the 
  colour 
  of 
  the 
  chin 
  and 
  throat, 
  from 
  longstaffi, 
  by 
  its 
  

   more 
  yellowish 
  belly, 
  not 
  defined 
  laterally, 
  and 
  from 
  M. 
  temon 
  

   by 
  its 
  larger 
  size. 
  

  

  • 
  12. 
  Mustela 
  STp. 
  {[tvohahly 
  pallida, 
  B.-Ham.). 
  

  

  Two 
  males 
  in 
  winter 
  pelage. 
  

  

  Barrett-Hamilton's 
  type 
  of 
  pallida 
  being 
  a 
  female, 
  and 
  

   both 
  the 
  present 
  specimens 
  being 
  males 
  in 
  winter 
  pelage, 
  it 
  is 
  

   impossible 
  to 
  express 
  any 
  definite 
  opinion 
  as 
  to 
  tlie 
  hitter's 
  

   relationship 
  to 
  pallida 
  or 
  to 
  Blanford^s 
  stoUczkana, 
  of 
  which 
  

   the 
  figured 
  skull 
  is, 
  however, 
  larger 
  than 
  those 
  of 
  Mr. 
  

   Ruckbeil's 
  two 
  males. 
  

  

  13. 
  Mustela 
  nivalis, 
  L. 
  

   Four 
  males, 
  one 
  in 
  summer, 
  one 
  in 
  changing, 
  and 
  two 
  in 
  

   winter 
  pelage. 
  

  

  