184 Mr. O. Thomas on a neto Species o/Smiiithus. 



Mr. AValorliouse is unfortunate in havinp; ascribed a ])re- 

 conccivcd opinion to me, as my early writings show that I 

 formerly held very diiforent views — views which I have since 

 given up ; and I first published the idea that the proboscis is 

 developed mainly from the maxilla3 in a short paper in the 

 ' Qiiokctt Club Journal ' of 1887. 



Although when my present work was first contemplated I 

 was asked to bring out a second edition of my former book, I 

 soon found that it would be entirely new, and Mr. Waterhouse 

 has committed a slight inaccuracy in speaking of my present 

 book as a second edition of one published in 1870. I should 

 have thought that the mere fact of its containing four times 

 the matter already, and a prospect of its containing 700 pages 

 when complete, might have indicated this; moreover it has 

 a different title. But perhaps it is too much to expect in 

 these days of high pressure that those who quote a work, 

 should look at the title. 



XXVI. — Description of a new Species o/Sminthus^*o»» 

 Kashmir. By Oldfield Thomas. 



The remarkable genus Smintlius, which, nota bene, is a 

 member of the Dipodidai *, not of the Muridse, has been until 

 recently considered to consist of only a single species, S. sub- 

 tilisj Pall. {S. vagus, auct. plurim.), ranging from Denmark 

 to Central Asia. Quite recently Dr. Biichnerf has described 

 a second species, S. concolor, from Ganssu, China, a s|)ecies 

 which has not the characteristic black dorsal stripe of *S'. suh- 

 tilis ; and I have now the opportunity of describing a third 

 one of the same most interesting group. 



The type specimen is a skin with skull, obtained in 

 Kashmir, at an altitude of 10,000 feet, by Major G. H. 

 Leathem, of the East Surrey Regiment, in whose honour 1 

 propose to name the species 



Sminthus Leathemi, sp. n. 



Extremely similar in size, colour, and general appearance to 

 Mus si/Ivaticus, from a British specimen of which it is at first 

 sight hardly distinguishable, except that the ears arc decidedly 

 smaller. 



* This view of the true affinities of Snit'nlhus, first published by Winge 

 iu lbB7 (' Gnavere fra Lagoa Santa — K Museo Lundii,' p. 109), fiad been 

 held by me long prpviouslv, and I still think it is uncjiustiuiiably correct. 



t lUill. Ac. Sci. St. IVnVr.b. xiii. p. l>«;7 (isHi'). 



