11)04.] MOUSE-HAKES OF THE (;i-:nus ocmoxoxa. 209 



Mamin. p. 71, pi. vi. fig. 1, pi. vii. fig. 2, pi. vii «. fig. 1 (1879); 

 id. Faun. Biit. India, Mamm. p. 458 (1891); W. L. Scl. Cat. Oalc. 

 Mns. p. 110 (1891); Biiclmer, Mamm. Przew. i. p. 185 (1890). 



Layomys curzonica Stoliczka (nee Hodgs.), J. A. S. B. xxxiv. 2, 

 p. 108 (1865); Anders. P.Z.S. 1871, p. 562. 



General coloui- light brownish grey, many of the haii-s, moi'O 

 especially along the dorsal region, tipped with dark brown. Head 

 i-ather lighter, with dull rufous patch extending from nose to 

 the crown. Ears moderately large and rounded, clothed externally 

 witli I'ufous hairs, longer on the inner margin. Under parts 

 yellowish Avhite, with a trace of a rufous collar, ^sdiicli is also 

 visible on the shoulders. Feet clothed with white haii-s. 



The coat just described is that of an individual shot on the 

 22nd July, and rei3resents a veiy typical skin ; there are, however, 

 othei' forms of pelage which it would be as well to notice, although 

 I am unable to say exactly in what sequence they may be foimd. 



Specimens in June have, as a rule, veiy shoi-t woolly i-ufous 

 ■coats, sometimes shading to pale yellow and interspersed with 

 long black hairs. 



In )September a moult takes place and the new coat is long and 

 thick and of a warm brownish gi'ey, becoming lightei- and paler 

 along the sides. The rufous markings mentioned in the first 

 pelage described are present and visible but not so intense. 



Thei-e is anothei- specimen from the same place and date as the 

 first mentioned, but the pelage is rather shorter, more woolly, 

 and not so gi'ey. 



In a specimen in fresh pelage at the beginning of October the 

 hairs are a deep slate-grey at the base, and sha<le through vinous 

 to pale white, ending in a bufi" subterminal I'ing and a black tip. 



I am of opinion that there is only one moult in the year, 

 namely in September, and that during tlie summer the pelage 

 gradually wears away, giving the animals the difiei-ent appear- 

 ances which I have noted above. 



Of the skull not much need be said as, except in tlie foi-amina 

 already alluded to, the specific differences between the skulls in 

 this group are very slight. As, however, the figure given by 

 Biiclmer (pi, xxiv. fig. 8) is rather misleading, it may be men- 

 tioned that the jjalatal foramen, as shown in fig. 2, much moi^e 

 i-esembles that of the type of Icidacensis. In other respects 

 fig. 8 accurately represents ladacensis, and it is unfortunate that 

 the specimen figui-ed should have been slightly abnormal in an 

 important feature. 



The dimensions of an adult male are : — Head and body 180'5 

 mm. ; hind foot 35 ; ear 24. 



tSkull. Greatest length 49*5 mm. ; basal length 39 ; zygomatic 

 breadth 25; length of nasals 15; length of molar series 10; 

 interoi'bital bi-eadth 5. 



Habitat. Originally described from Ladak. This species has 

 ^ilso been found to the N.E. in Noithei-n Thibet. It is seldom 

 found at a lower elevation than 14,000 feet. 



Ti/2)e. B.M. 75. 3. 30. 2. Collected by Col. J. Biddulph. 

 Proc. Zool. See— 1904, Vol. II. >iro. XIV. 14 



