1905.] MAMMALS OF CRETE. 317 



colour of the fur. In one specimen (Ko. 17) this is ahnost pure 

 white except on tlie face, hands, and feet. The spines are shortei- 

 and more slender, whilst both the short and long hair of the under- 

 parts is much scantier. 



The following measurements (in millims.) were taken in the 

 flesh :— 



Head Tail. Hind Ear. Basal length 



and body. foot. of skull. 



No. 9 ( c? ) (type) 208' 29 40 29 51-5 



No. 17 ($) 34 37 28-5 48 



No.8($) 204 ... 38 26-5 50-5 



The skull diffei's from that of E. e. italicus, and resembles that of 

 E. e. roumanicus Barr.-Ham.* in having the frontal processes of 

 the premaxillfe squared posteriorly, and further these only extend 

 backward for less than half the length of the nasals. 



In Crete, Hedgehogs are common in the low country, but were 

 not met with in the hills. In captivity they will eat oats freely 

 as well as a more natural diet of eggs &c. 



6. FeLIS OCREATAt AGRIUSj, subsp. n. 



This species is the chief exception to the general European 

 appearance of the mammalian fauna of the island, being unmis- 

 takably African in type and belonging to the Eelis ocreata group. 

 The two specimens obtained were bought, at different times, in 

 the bazaar at Khania, and therefore are unaccompanied by any 

 measurements taken in the flesh, though they appear to have 

 been large and robust. In one of these. No. 35, the type, which 

 is in summer coat, the average length of fur on the back is about 

 32 mm., while in the other. No. 36, evidently a winter specimen, 

 the fur is much thicker and longer, averaging 45 mm. in length 

 on the back, and there is at the same time a corresponding- 

 difference in the intensity of the markings of the dorsal region. 



The Cretan I'ace may be distinguished from specimens from 

 Abyssinia, the type locality, and Egypt, by their much moi-o 

 distinctly marked stripes, both longitudinal and transverse, and 

 by the greater number of rings, or half- rings, on the tail, which 

 is short. As Mr. de Winton has mentioned §, these markings of 

 the dorsal region are more distinct in short-coated specimens ; 

 and on comparing them it is found that even the long-haired 

 Cretan skin is more strongly marked than sAor^-haired ones from 

 Abyssinia and Egypt in the British Museum collection. The 

 same holds good in the case of a short-haired specimen from 

 Machakos (B.M. 92.12.3.2.), which otherwise somewhat closely 

 resembles the skin in winter pelage from Crete. It may also 

 be mentioned that some specimens from Abyssinia show a 



* Op. cit. p. 365. 



f For use of this specific name see Mr. H. Schwann, " On Felis ocreata and its 

 Subspecies," Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser. 7, vol. xiii. June 1904, pp. 421-2. 

 I From ciypevs, a hunter. 

 § Zoology of Egypt (Anderson), London, 1902, p. 173. 



