226 Mr. G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton 07i the Sicilian 



XXXV. — Note on the Sicilian Dormice of the Genera Eliomys 

 and Glis. By G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton. 



I HAVE recently had the pleasure of examininp: a small collec- 

 tion of Sicilian mammals presented to the British Museum 

 by Mr. J. I. S. Whitaker. The collection includes specimens of 

 Pachyura etrusca (Savi), Mas ratlus alexandrinus, Is. Geoff., 

 Mus musculus spicilegus, Chyzer, a Muscardinus^ and of 

 Microtus suhterraneus nehrodensis, MinH-Palumbo, the latter 

 subspecies very doubtfully distinct from the form found on 

 the Italian maiidand. 



In the present jjaper, however, I wish to call attention to 

 the Sicilian Eliomys and Glis^ which are of ^reat interest and 

 show marked differences from the corresponding forms found 

 in Continental Europe. 



The following is a description of the Eliomys : — 



Eliomys pallidas, sp. n. 



Size similar to that of E. quercinus (Linn.), but general 

 appearance markedly different, the upper surface being light 

 powdery-looking grey, with only a faint trace of the ricli 

 rufous brown of E. quercinus on the back. The black 

 markings of E. quercinus are in E. pallidus everywhere less 

 intense and distinct, and, as a natural consequence of the 

 general coloration, the grey of the upper merges with the 

 white of the under surface rather gradiuiUy, and the very 

 clear line of demarcation of, as well as the intermediate 

 black zone sometimes present in, E. quercinus is absent. 



The following are the dimensions (in millim.) of two 

 specimens, together with those of two of E. quercinus for 

 comparison : — 



• Head and Hind 



body. Tail. foot. Ear. 

 E. pallidus (type). Brit. Mus. 



Coll. no. 98. 10. 6. 6. d, 



Sicily, Augubt 21, 1898 .... 147 108 29 24 



£. pallidus. Brit. Mus, Coll. 



no. 98. 10. 6. 7. $, Sicily, 



August 18, 1898 124 106 28 23 



Fj, quercinus. Brit. Mus. Coll. 



no. 95. 4. 6. 1. Spalato, Dal- 



matia, Jan. 26, 1895 145 105 25 



E. ijuerci7iu,<i. J , Seville, 



Spain, May 13, 1895 (the late 



Lord Lilforcl) " 150 98 26 



I regret that I am unable to give any cranial dimensions 

 for E. pallidus ; the length of the upper molar crowns of 

 a series of E. quercinus from Dalmatia and Seville is from G 

 to 6'50 millim. 



