neio Subspecies o/' Spalax nionticola. 313 



Tliongli in some ways paralleled in its variation by such 

 genera as Ctenomi/s and Tacliyoryctes, Spalax is peculiar 

 in showing in nearly all forms a monotonous uniformity of 

 external appearance. With the material now available no 

 satisfactory outward difference can be detected between the 

 various subspecies of S. inonticola described or mentioned 

 below; and, since much of the material before me is un- 

 accompanied by collector's measurements, further reference 

 to the pelage may be omitted. The differential characters 

 are to be sought in the skulls and deep down in the alveoli 

 of the cheek-teeth. They require a great deal of patient 

 work for their discovery and elucidation ; and we are above 

 all indebted to Professor M(ihely for the provision of such a 

 wide basis for further work upon this most difficult genus as 

 is afforded by his monograph. 



Of his section Mesospalax Mdhely recognizes two species, 

 viz., S. monticola and S. hungaricus. In monticola ^^ has 

 two re-entrant enamel folds, one from the labial and one from 

 the lingual side, in young stages of wear ; while in hungaricus 

 only the labial fold is present. When, therefore, in adult 

 stages of wear, the folds are converted into enamel islands, 

 which are long persistent, two are present upon the surface 

 of ,^173 in monticola, but one only in hungaricus. The three 

 new forms described below agree in this matter with moud- 

 coluj o£ which, accordingly, they are treated as subspecies. 



1. Spalax monticola thermaicus, subsp. n. 



JIah. — The neighbourhood of Salonica. 



Type.— An adult male (B.M. 17. 11. 19. 1 ; skull, no skin) 

 from the west bank of the Strumu Kiver, 12 miles south of 

 Serres ; collected and presented to the British Museum l)y 

 Captain H. S. Hollis, R.A.M.O. 



Material examined. — Six, represented by five skulls and 

 tiiree skins ; of the skulls two are old, one adult, and two 

 young, one of the latter being in traginents. 



Description. — This is a medium-sized subspecies with a 

 skull wiiich agrees in most respects with that of S. m. tnrcicus, 

 Mcliely. S. ni. thermaicus differs t'lom tnrcicits chiefly by 

 the more reduced condition of its molar rout-*, and to a 

 slighter degree by some leatures of the molar crowns as well 

 us by some peculiarities of the skull and mandible. 



Skull. — A detailed conipaiison of the skull with the careful 

 description oi turcicus given by Mdhely {op.cit. p. 115) shows 

 that the skull of thermaicus differs in only two respects from 

 tUnt oi' turcicus. Li t/iermuicus at all ages the parietals are 



