SINO-MONGOLIAN FRONTIER 



This species seems to replace C. andersoni 

 on the Wu-tsai plain, and other non-moun- 

 tainous districts of North China. In habits 

 the two closely resemble each other. Griseus 

 has a shorter tail and is characterized by a 

 dark median dorsal line, otherwise closely 

 resembling andersoni. 



25. Cricetulus griseus ohscurus, M.-Edw. 



Two specimens, ^, ?. Tabool, 100 miles N. 

 of Kalgan, Mongolia. 4,000 ft. 



Milne-Edwards described a hamster from 

 Sartchy (or Saratsi or Sa-la-ch'i), 40 miles 

 west of K'uei-hua-ch'eng, giving it the name 

 of Cricetulus obscurus. Some specimens of 

 hamsters taken by Mr. Anderson at Tabool 

 were referred to Milne-Edwards' C. obscurus 

 by Mr. Thomas, who considered that this 

 species should be considered as a subspecies 

 of C griseus, under the name of Cricetulus 

 griseus obscurus. This being the case, it is 

 possible that the specimens from Wu-tsai, 

 identified as C. griseus, should really be 

 C. g. obscurus. These specimens were in 

 their winter coat, which being very grey 

 seemed to agree more with C. griseus from 

 Shantung and Chihli. 



Mr. Anderson, when collecting in the pre- 

 sent district, found this hamster very common. 

 We found it rather rare, but this may be due 

 197 



