102 Mr. G. S. Miller on the 



audital bulla}. It is, however, remarkably similar to Microtus 

 nivalis, when one considers the peculiarities of its habitat in 

 the midst of the vine and olive region of the Mediterranean 

 coast. 



Microtus lebrumi leucurus (Gerbe). 

 1852. Arvicola leucurus, Gerbe, Revue Zoologique, 2nd ser. iv. p. 260 



(June 1852). ^, . 



1857. Arvicola nivalis, b, Arvicola leucurus, Blasius, baugethiere 



Deutschlands, p. 359 (part.). 



Ttjjie locality. — Barcelonnette, Basses-Alpes, France. Alti- 

 tude about 4000 feet. 



GeograjMcal distribution. — South-western Alps. 



Characters. — Back a pale smoke-grey, slightly but evi- 

 dently washed with wood-brown. Skull with audital bullse 

 large and well-inflated, essentially as in Microtus nivalis, 

 with which the other cranial characters agree. 



Measurements. — Adult female topotype, no. 5623 [Mottaz) : 

 head and body 120 mm.; tail 68; hind foot 19; ear 14;8. 

 Skull : zygomatic breadth 16 (ca.) ; interorbital constric- 

 tion 4*6 ; nasal S'O ; diastema 8-8 ; mandible 18 ; maxillary 

 tooth-row 7"0; mandibular tooth-row 6-8. 



Remarks. — The two topotypes secured by Mr. Mottaz 

 show that this animal resembles M. lebrunii lebrunii in its 

 small size and pale colour, but that the skull remains essen- 

 tially as in M. nivalis. The specimens were taken among 

 rocks near water in a locality which seemed perfectly 

 adapted to the needs of Microtus nivalis. 



Microtus jjontius, sp. u. 



Type.—M\x\i male. B.M. no. 5. 10. 4. 53. Collected at 

 altitude of 7000 feet, about 25 miles north of Baibort, 

 Turkey in Asia, July 21 , 1905, by R. B. Woosuam. Original 

 number 62. Presented by Col. A. C. Bailward. 



Geographical distribution. — The species is known from the 

 type locality only. 



Characters. — Size about as in Microtus lebrunii. Skull 

 with pterygoids inclined outward, their inner surfaces not 

 parallel; mesopterygoid fossa broad, its width anteriorly 

 much greater than distance between fossa and alveolus of 

 third molar ; posterior border of palate and form of audital 

 bullae as in M. nivalis ; general outline of skull rather more 

 slender than in the other members of the group ; teeth 

 peculiar in the small size and very marked alternation of 

 the triangles in the upper molars and the unusual slenderness 



