462 MR. OLDFIELD THOMAS ON [May 7, 



2. The Duke of Bedford's Zoological Exploration in Eastern 

 Asia. — V. Second List of Mammals from Korea. By 

 Oldfield Thomas, F.R.S., F.Z.S. 



[Received April 23, 1907.J 



On his return from the Islands of Saghalien and Hokkaido 

 Mr. Malcolm Anderson paid a second visit to Korea in order to 

 supplement the collections obtained a year earlier, of which I gave 

 an account in No. II. of the present series of papers *. 



On the present occasion Mr. Anderson worked in the central 

 part of Korea, in two districts respectively about 50 miles north- 

 east of Seoul and the same distance south of it. With the former 

 collection, which was from much further south, we have therefore 

 a- good representation of the siuall mammals of the peninsula. 



As before, Mr. Anderson experienced very great difficulty in 

 finding suitable collecting ground, owing to the bareness and 

 deforestation of the greater part of Korea. He was, however, able 

 to secure a considei'able numbei- of species additional to his first 

 set, several of them being new. Of these the most noteworthy is 

 the Hamster (Cricetuhis), no member of the group having been 

 previously known from this region. 



The special interest of the Mammals of Korea lies in theii- 

 bearing on the problems relating to the Japanese insular fauna 

 and its origin. A few years ago almost all the Mammals of Japan 

 were supposed to be peculiar ; but, thanks to the present systematic 

 survey, we are finding that more and more of them are connected 

 through intermediate forms, either by way of Saghalien or of 

 Korea, with the corresponding species of the mainland. Later on, 

 when further localities are investigated, we may hope to come to 

 sounder conclusions about the origin of the Japanese fauna than 

 have hitherto been possible. A study of the fauna of Manchuria 

 would be particularly useful for that purpose, but at j)i'esent the 

 unsettled state of the country makes it impossible for a collector 

 to work there unless supported by a large party. 



As before, the valuable series of specimens, 70 in number, here 

 described is presented to the National Museum by our President, 

 the Duke of Bedford, K.G. 



1 . Crocidura lasiura Dobs. 



5 . 1123. Penchan, 50 miles N.E. of Seoul. 

 2 . 1145. Kim-hoa, 65 miles JST.E. of Seoul. 

 (S . 1146. Kaloguai, 55 miles N.E. of Seoul. 

 cT. 1153, 1160,"ll67, 1175, 1180, 1196. $. 1163, 1174. 

 Chong-ju, S. of Seoul, 50O'-800'. 



2. Crocidura core.e Thos. 



§ . 1124. Penchan, 50 miles N.E. of Seoul, 300'. 



* P. Z. S. 1906, p. 858. 



