576 Oil a new Vole from Spain. 



LXXVr. — A neio Vole from Spain. 

 By Oldfield Thomas. 



Among a collection of small mammals obtained by Mr. 

 Martinez de la Escalera in tlie mountains just north of 

 ]\Iadrid there occurs a specimen of a large vole which appears 

 to represent an entirely distinct form^ not closely allied to 

 any known European species. I propose to name it in 

 lionour of Sr. A. Cabrera Latorre, the well-known mammalo- 

 gist of the Madrid Museum, to wiiom we are indebted for 

 much of our knowledge of Spanish mammals. 



In addition to the above specimen, an imperfect example 

 of the same species has been in the British i\Iuseum since 

 1853, having been purchased from the dealer Parzudaki in 

 that year. It was said to be from Spain, but the correctness 

 of the locality has hitherto seemed too doubtful to justify its 

 description. 



Microtus Cahrerce, sp. n. 



Size large, about as in M. ratticeps or nivalis^ therefore 

 decidedly larger than in any of the forms of arvalis or agrestis. 

 Form thick and stout. Fur long and loose ; shorter hairs of 

 back about 11, bristle-hairs about 18 mm. in length. On the 

 rump the bristle-hairs are particularly numerous and long. 

 General colour above coarsely lined olive or hair-brown, though, 

 perhaps, part of the yellowish suffusion in the olive is due to 

 alcoholic discoloration. Under surface not sharply defined, 

 rather lighter, the hairs dark slaty basally, dull yellowish 

 terminally, but this may again have been artificially caused. 

 Feet long and heavy ; soles with six clearly defined pads ; 

 upper surface of hands and feet grizzled brownish yellow 

 proximally, yellowish white terminally. Tail short, brownish 

 white above, white below. 



Skull thickly and heavily built, very different in shape 

 from that of any other European vole ; the brain-case pecu- 

 liarly short and high, not flattened above. Nasals projecting 

 over incisors, so that these are hidden from above ; behind, 

 the nasals are less narrowed than usual, the posterior breadth 

 three fourths the anterior; interorbital surface concave mesially 

 above, the low ridges close to its edges in the type, more 

 nearly approaching but not touching each other in the 1853 

 specimen. Anteorbital foramina open above, their outer 

 walls more distant from each other above than below, instead 

 of being nearly parallel. Palatal foramina large, widely 



