On Fiir-Kasltrn S^ieciis of yiyos\^n]ax. 'J 3 



X. — Revised Determinations of Two Far-Eastern Species 

 o/Myospalax. By Oldfield Thomas. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 



Thanks to the kindness of Prof. Trouessart I have been 

 enabled to make a direct comparison of the typical skulU of 

 Mt/ospalax fontanitri and psilurus with the two series from 

 Shan-si and Mantchuria, which 1 had rtceiitly referred 

 respectively to those species, but on whose determination 

 doubt has been thrown by Mr. Miller. 



These doubts appear to have been well founded, the types 

 differing enough in each case from the good series I have 

 been able to compare them with to justify me in describing 

 tiie latter as new. 



Myospalax fontamis, sp. n, 

 M.fontanieri, Thos. P. Z. S. 190S, p. 978, nee M.-Edw. 



Feet mostly naked, the hair only thinly spread on the 

 proximal part of the metapodials. 



Skull with the essential cliaracters of tiiat oi M.fontanieri, 

 which is no doubt its nearest ally. Size about as in that 

 species. Muzzle normal in shape, more or less parallel-sided, 

 not of the peculiar conical outline correctly indicated for the 

 type in fig. 7 of Milne-Ed wards''s plate *. Anteorbitul foramen 

 very much as in other species, e. g. as figured on the same 

 plate iigs. 1-3 ; its outline triangular with a deep notcii 

 below, its outer plate with a strongly developed projecting 

 ridge ruiniitig downwards past the foramen itself towards the 

 ])alatal surface ; tiie posterior up})er bridge comparatively 

 narrow. \_\\\ M.fontanieri iho, foramen is low from above 

 downwards, its lower corner rounded, its outer wall not pro- 

 jecting forwards and scarcely ridged, its posterior upper 

 bridge broad.] Interorbital region lengthened at the exp^iuse 

 of the brain-case, the temporal fossa, as measured from the 

 transverse masseteric crest to the sharply developed antero- 

 external angle of the brain-case, much shorter in proportion 

 to the true orbital region; the supraorbital edges sliarpened. 

 [In M. fontanieri the temporal fossae are long, the orbital 

 region short, the supraorbital edges rounded, and the antero- 

 external corners of the brain-case not sharply angular.] 

 Palatal foramina rather shoiter thati in fontanieri 'M\i\ meso- 

 pterygoid fossa sligiitly narrower. Molars quite similar 

 • Rech. Mamm. pi. 8. 



