420 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXIV. 



Sikkim arrive." Now that they have arrived we see that it is 

 -separable. 



All the old specimens of T. lohroides from Nepal and Sikkim 

 were undated and not exactly localised, but with the new material 

 to help ns, we are able to record that what has hitherto been known 

 as similis, Gray, characterized by its reddish thigh-patch is in fact 

 the summer pelage of lohroides, Hodgs. Consequently the form des- 

 -cribed as T. similis oivensi (I.e.) must in future be known as T. 

 ■lohroides oivensi. It is interesting to note its location on the East 

 Bank of the River, near its source. The other forms dealt wifch in 

 the passage quoted above, all found on the West Bank of the Chind- 

 win only, fall into the quite distinct mearsi group, dealt with under 

 the next heading. 



T. mearsi Group. 



Bonhote described mearsi as a subspecies of lohroides and it has 

 been so accepted until now. The abundant material we have just 

 received, however, shows that there is a group of forms, inhabiting 

 the West Bank of the Chindwin River, which possess in common 

 •certain distinctive characters separating them entirely from lohroides, 

 notably the white feet, white thigh-patch and smaller skull, and we 

 have been unable to detect any signs of intergrading between the 

 two. Consequently mearsi may be accepted as a species. 



Tomeutes mearsi, Bonh. 



The name was based on a series of four specimens, including the 

 type, taken by Col. Mears at a place called Chiubyit, which appears 

 to be close to Monj^wa, on the Lower Chindwin, about 50 miles 

 below Kin. Unfortunately the specimens are all in winter pelage, 

 without thigh-patches. The general colour is a pale, grizzled grey, 

 ■entirelj^ without any trace of brown or red . In the collection re- 

 ceived from Mr. Mackenzie are two specimens killed in October, of 

 the same ' cold ' pale grey colour, labelled "150 miles south of 

 Kindat," which presumably is not far from the t}'p)e locality of 

 mearsi, and we, therefore, accept them as indicating, to some extent, 

 the summer pelage of mearsi. T\\Qy q\\o\\ pale buffy white thigh- 

 patches, evidently disappearing. Good specimens of mearsi, taken 

 in full summer, at or near Monywa, are a great desideratum. 



Tomeutes mearsi bellona, subsp. nov. 



A fine series collected hj Mr. Shortridge at Kin, and provisionally 

 •accepted by us (I.e.) as the summer form of mearsi, now requires a 

 name. The following is a description of this form, of the winter 

 pelage of which we have no example. A good series of winter 

 specimens from Kin are ver}^ much to be desired and we hope some 

 member will oblige. 



