128 On a veto Bank- Vole from Esthonia. 



VIII. — A new Bank-Vole from Esthonia. 

 By Martin A. C. Hinton. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 



The small mammals of Esthonia are no doubt similar, in a 

 general way, to those inliabiting one or other of the neigh- 

 bouring countries bordering upon the Baltic. But hitherto 

 we have had little or no matarial from this portion of the 

 Baltic coast, and therefore have lacked the means of deter- 

 mining precisely what forms invade, or, it may be, are 

 peculiar to, Esthonian territory. This gap in our knowledge 

 will, however, in all probability, be filled in the near future ; 

 for Mr. E. Reinwaldt, of the University of Dorpat, has now 

 begun the systematic collection and study of the mammals of 

 his native land, and results of considerable interest may be 

 expected to flow from his work in due course. 



Among some specimens presented to the British Museum 

 })y Mr. Reinwaldt are three examples of the local form of the 

 widely distributed Evotoniys glareolus. Judging from these 

 specimens the Esthonian bank-vole is immediately distin- 

 guishable from all other western European subspecies of 

 E. glareolus by its exceptionally dark coloration. Placed 

 among the skins of other forms, such as E. g. suecicus and 

 E. g. glareolus, and viewed casually, the backs of these 

 Esthonian specimens appear to be quite dusky; but closer 

 itispection shows that they have the characteristic rufous 

 mantle normally developed, though darkened or subdued. In 

 other respects these specimens agree best, and indeed closely, 

 with E. g. suecicus, although the skulls have their own slight 

 peculiarities. I am greatly indebted to Mr. Reinwaldt for so 

 kindly permitting me to describe this well-marked geogra- 

 phical race. 



Evotomys glareolus reinwaldti, subsp. n. 



Most like E. g. suecicus in general character, but colour 

 much darker. 



Upper parts clothed with a fine mixture of dark reddish- 

 brown and dusky hair-tips, the general effect produced, wliere 

 brightest (as between ears and on nape), being no brighter 

 than the " chestnut " of Ridgway ; darkest on rump, where 

 the elimination of rufous hair-tips leaves the colour dark 

 slaty-grey. Rufous tinge traceable far back towards rump 



