154 



NOTES ON SMALL MAMMALS IN KASHMIR AND 

 ADJACENT DISTRICTS. 



By 



A. E. Ward. 



In continuation of my rough notes on the Small Mammals in Kashmir 

 and the adjacent districts, read before the Bombay Natural History 

 Society on 16th March 1905 (Vol. XVI., page 358), I would again 

 refer to the Mouse-hares. 



In the Proceedings, Zoological Society of London, Vol. II., Part II., 

 1904, Mr. Bonhote wrote on the subject of the Ochotona genus. 

 Dealing with 0. macrotis, the Large-eared Mouse-hare of Blanford's 

 " Fauna of India," Mr. Bonhote refers to two species — aurita and 

 grisea — and says these may probably be assigned to this species 

 (macrotis). 



One of my collectors brought down from the Paugong Lake shores a 

 couple of Mouse-hares which have now been identified as aurita, and 

 Mr. Bonhote writes : — "It is practically a topotype of Blanford's aurita, 

 and proves aurita to be a good species, nearly allied to roylei and not to 



macrotis " The measurements are : — 



$ b. and h. 6*90 hf. 1-20 ear 0*90 



9 „ 7-30 „ 1-20 „ 0-80 



Amongst other specimens brought back from Ladak are four Mouse- 

 hares, two of which came from the Khardong Pass from an altitude of 

 16,000', and two were obtained high up the Indus Valley. All these 

 are macrotis. 



Up to date we have the following from Kashmir and Ladak, &c. : — 



Ladacensis group. Ochotona ladacensis from the Chaugcheumo 

 Valley and W. Tibet at altitudes 16,500' and 15,500'. 



Blanford mentions ladacensis Stoliczka's Mouse-hare on page 458. 

 (Mammals). 



Rufescens group. O. ivardi from Kashmir. 



Curzonioe group. O. curzonioe from Haule, Ladak. 



O. macrotis from Indus Valley and Kharony. 

 O. aurita from Paugong Lake. 



If reference is made to Blanford, page 457 (Mammals), it will be seen 

 that the macrotis type came from the Yarkand road, so that evidently 

 this animal is found on both sides of the high range north of Leh, 



