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. Criceiulus griseus obscurus, 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 Criceiulus 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 Criceiulus 

 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 



