1904.] MOUSE- HARES OF THE GEXUS OCHOTOXA. 211 



OcHOTOXA RUTiLA (Sevei-tz,). 



Lagcrmys rutilus Severtzoff,"Voy. 1873 ; id. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 ser. 4. xviii. p. 168 (1876); BLanf. Mamm. Yark. Miss. p. 79 

 (1870); Schaff, Zool. Jalirb. (Syst.) ii. p. 65 (1887); BUchn. 

 Mamm. Przew. i. p. 160, pi. xx. (1890) ; id. loc. cit. p. 191 (1894). 



This .species apparently differs so slightly from the foregoing 

 that it is doubtful whether they can be considered as more than 

 geographical races. 



A male shot on the 21st June in Turkestan has the whole of 

 the back behind the shoulders of a whitish grey. The whole 

 of the head and shoulders, Avith the exception of the ears, is of 

 a ligliter rusty (lighter, according to BUchner, than in 0. ery- 

 throtis). The ears are large, being about the same size as those 

 of 0. riiacrotls, and covered on both sides with short grey hairs, 

 while a small patch behind the ears, which in 0. erythrotis is 

 always red, is in this species always white, and forms the most 

 conspicuous feature dLstinguishing these two species. The feet 

 are grey ; the under parts whitish, with a more rufous collar 

 round the throat. 



The shdl shows hardly any features to distinguish it from the 

 foregoing. 



iJimensioiis (approx. from skin). Head and body 196 mm. ; 

 hind foot 39 ; ear 28. 



Skull. Gi-eatest length 50 mm. ; basal length 42 ; zygomatic 

 breadth 24; length of nasals 16; length of molar .series 9*5; 

 interorbital breadth 6. 



Habitat. Vernoe Mountains, Turkestan. 



It seems to me very doubtful whether these last two species 

 can reaUy be regarded as distinct, but our knowledge of them 

 is at present so slight tliat it seems best meanwhile to consider 

 theiii so. In the large ears this species resembles 0. maoroti? 

 Giinth., while it is perhaps instructive to note that superficially 

 the difference, e. g. presence or absence of white postoral patches, 

 between erythrotis and riitila is very similar to that between 

 roylei and loarcli. 



OcHOTOxA BUFESCEXS (Gray). 



Lagomys rufescens Gray, Ann. Mag. Xat. Hist. x. p. 266(1842); 

 Huttoncfe Blyth, J. A. S. B. xv. p. 140 (1846): Waterh. Mamm, 

 ii. p. 20 (1848) ; Horsf. Cat. E.-I. Mus. p. 149 (1851) ; Bl)i:h, 

 Cat. p. 133 (1863); Blanf. E. Per-sia, p. 83. pi. 6. fig. 2 (1876); 

 Wood-Mason, P. A. S. B. p. 173 (1880); Scully, J. A. S. B. Ivi. 

 p. 76 (1886) ; Murrav, Ann. Mag. ISTat. Hist. ser. 5. xiv. p. 100 

 (1884): Radde, Zool." J B. iv. p. 1053 (1889); W. L. 8cl. Cat. 

 Mamm. Calc. Mus. ii. p. Ill (1891); Blanf. Faun. Br. Ind.. 

 Mamm. p. 458 (1891). 



In its Tranter pelage (Oct.) this species is of a uniform whitish 

 brown, somewhat paler on the sides and of a pale yellowish buff 

 beneath. Each hair is slate-grev for its basal two-thirds and 



14* 



