the Eliomys of Sardinia. 341 



rather sliort, and the black hand of whicli runs completely 

 round its circunit'erence. The basal third or halt" is therefore 

 grizzled iul\n)us grey above and whitisii below, then passing 

 into deej) black above and below, only about halt' an incli 

 at tlie extreme tip being white. 



From E. amori, Graells, of Spain, which has a similar 

 coloration of the tail, E. sardus may be distinguished by its 

 much smaller size, in regard to which it slightly exceeds 

 E. luumhijanus (Poniel) of Morocco. In the latter form, 

 liowever, so far as can be ascertained from the {(^\\ specimens 

 available, the tail resembles that of E. quercinus. E. pallidus 

 of Sicily, another black-banded form, is recognizable by the 

 unusually light coloration of its whole body. 



The princij)al dimensions * of a skin and skull, which I 

 propose to make the type of E. sardus, are as follows (iu 

 millimetres) : — 



Head aud body 142 



Tail (excluding terminal hairs) lOo 



Hind foot (without claws) 2(5 



Ear 20 (approx.). 



(Greatest length of skull 35 



Lengtli of uasals (along central line) 13 



Length of upper muhir crowns o 



Length of lower molar crowns 5 



Hob. Sardinia. Type from Tricoli, Cagliastra. Other 

 specimens from Lanusei. 



Ti/pe. Female. B.M. no. 0. 3. 8. 1. Collected 5th No- 

 vember, 11)00, by G. Meloni. Presented by Mr. Oldfield 

 Thomas. Four specimens examined. 



These dimensions may be compared with those of E. quer- 

 ci7ius'\, E mumlyanus, and E. pallidus, mihi, as given in my 

 paper on the Sicilian dormice of the genera Eliomys •a\\(\ Glis, 

 published in the ' Annals ' for March lb99, pj). 22(j-228. In 

 the present note 1 do not propose to do more than brietly 

 indicate the distinctive characters of E. sardus, but hope to 

 return to it on a future occasion. 



The name sardus is particularly appropriate for the 

 Sardinian £'//o//?_ys, owing to the fact that "Rata sarda " is 

 the local name ot its congener in the Balearic Islands and 

 (Jatalonia. 



• Not taken in the flesh. 



t Note, however, that JE,'. quercinus of Seville should now be known as 

 i'. (Diivri. 



