230 Miscellaneous. 



Observations on some Mammalia from the North of China. 

 By M. A. Milne-Edwards. 



Carnivora. — The author indicates two species of the genus MeleSy 

 M. leptorhynchus and M. leucolceinus. The former resembles the 

 common badger in appearance ; but the black bands on the sides of 

 the head are much diminished and narrow, so as not to pass the ear 

 beneath. The cranium is much more narrowed between the orbits, 

 and the whole fronto-nasal region is very narrow. The anterior 

 aperture of the nostrils is small, the lower margin of the posterior 

 nares is much more produced, and the lateral margins of the adja- 

 cent portion of the palatine arch constitute each a trenchant crest 

 passing outside the outer face of the ala of the pterygoid. The upper 

 tubercular molar is narrower and more elongate than in the European 

 badger. 



M. leucolcemus differs considerably from the known representatives 

 of the genus, and might be regarded as the type of a new generic 

 group. It is much smaller than the preceding (which is somewhat 

 less than M. taxus) ; its hairs are much longer, and its throat and 

 breast pure white. The skull is much shortened, especially in its 

 cranial portion, the crests of which are scarcely salient. The part 

 immediately behind the postorbital angles is not narrowed. The 

 anterior frontal region is broad and depressed, whilst the muzzle is 

 much drawn out, giving the face a conical form. The suborbital 

 foramen is enormous, and the zygomatic arches very short. The 

 exterior meatus auditorius is remarkably large, and approximated 

 to the glenoid cavity. The mastoid apophyses are scarcely promi- 

 nent. The tympanic cases, instead of being much inflated, are ex- 

 tremely depressed. The aperture of the posterior nares is thrown 

 very far back, beyond the level of the articulation of the lower jaw. 

 The third superior incisor is very oblique, and extends nearly to the 

 canine ; it is deeply worn by the friction of the lower canine. The 

 tubercular molar is comparatively little developed. Both these spe- 

 cies inhabit the vicinity of Pekin. 



Panthers are common in this part of China; and, according to 

 M. Fontanier, two species occur there. Of one of these the fur is 

 much longer and thicker than in the Indian leopard, and the tail is 

 very thick from base to apex ; the skull is much more arched from 

 before backwards than in the Indian and African leopards, the cra- 

 nium is more developed, and the fronto-nasal region longer; the 

 posterior margin of the bony palate is strongly emarginate, and the 

 aperture of the posterior nares is short and broad. The skull dif- 

 fers considerably from that of Gray's Leoparclus chinensis ; and the 

 species is named by the author Felis Fontanierii. 



Rodentia. — Two large species of Pteromys inhabit the forests of 

 the Tscheli Mountains. The largest, P. mxlanoptenis, is nearly of the 

 size of P. momoga from Japan, from which it is distinguished by the 

 much greater length of the tail, and by the slightly fulvous-grey 

 colour of the upper part of the body, which contrasts with the nearly 

 black tint of the upper surface of the parachutes and feet. The 



