COLLECTION OF MAMMALS IN SHIHAZ, PERSIA. 581 



The following is Mr. Oldfield Thomas' description of this new Vole :— 

 " Microtus irani, sp. n. 



" A rather large buffy coloured species, with a striking external 

 " resemblance to M. (Phaiomys) afghanus, Thos., but with normal 

 " Microtus dentition. 



" External appearance almost exactly as in afghanus. General 

 " colour above sandy buff, nearest to ' tawny olive ', the hairs slaty at 

 " base with buffy subterminal rings and dark brown extreme tips 

 " Sides clearer sandy. Under surface soiled whitish or creamy, the 

 " hairs slaty at base, except on the chin. Hands and feet creamy 

 " white. Tail sandy above, white on sides and below. Hindfootpads 

 " apparently five in number and mammse 2 — 2=8, but neither are 

 " absolutely clear. 



" Skull large and strongly built, twice the size of that of 31. mysta- 

 " cinus, the zygomata stout and widely expanded. Palatal foramina 

 " narrow, reachingback just to the level of the fromt root of m'. 

 " Posterior palate with well marked lateral pits. Bullae large, though 

 ^' rather smaller than in afgJianus. 



" Molar pattern as in typical Microtus ; m' with four completely 

 " closed triangles and a posterior C, there thus being four salient 

 " angles on each side. In afghanus there are only three, M- in the 

 '' type with a small additional internal projection approaching that of 

 " M. agrestis, but this absent in other specimens. M^ with six closed 

 *' triangles and a well developed anterior trefoil. In afghanus there 

 '' are only four closed triangles. 



" Dimensions of the type, as measured by the Collector : — 



" Head and body 107 mm. ; tail 37; hindfoot 19; ear 13. 



" Skull :— Condylobasal length 30 ; condylo-incisive length 30 "o ; 

 " zygomatic breadth 18-2 ; nasals 75 ; intertemporal breadth 4; mastoid 

 " breadth I4'3 ; height of crown above bullae 11 ; palatilar length 15-2 ; 

 " palatal foramina 6-1 ; horizontal diagonal diameter of bullte 8-7; 

 " upper molar series 6'7. 



"fl^a6.:-Bagh-i-Rezi, Shiraz. Alt. 5,200'. 



^^ Type -.—Old male, B. M. No. 20. 5. 20.9. Original No. 1328. 

 ^'Collected 17th September 1919. Six specimens examined. 



'' This striking and most distinct vole is quite unlike any described 

 " species except for its marked but purely superficial resemblance to 

 " M. (Phaiomys) afghanus. Geographically also it is very isolated, as 

 " its nearest neighbour is the North Persian M. mystaomus, Filippi, 

 " which is barely half its size. A co-type of the latter acquired by 

 '' exchange from the Turin Museum is now in the British Museum. 



11. OVIS VIGNEI CYCLOCEEOS, HuttOU. 



The'male'from Baiza, 35 miles N. N. E. oi ^^^^Y^^^^lTJ^^Z^e^ 

 taken in the flesh 32 inches ; horn measured round front curve 8 ,^che8^ 

 Adult female from Kuh-i-Bamu, 8 miles N. of Shiraz. Alt. b,W^ . amgu^ 

 at sWder in fle?h 28-5 inches,' horn 1-25 inches. 5ee original paper above. 



12 Capra. ^gagrus blythi, Lydekker. 

 $ 2. One from Kalat, 30 miles N. W. of Shiraz alt _6^0' shoulder 

 measured in flesh 29-5 i-hes, horn measured rouiul fjtc-v^ 

 the other from hills above Kavar Valley S J. Jt 

 measured in flesh 24-5 inches. See original paper above. 



