644 



MR. OLDFIELD THOMAS ON 



[June 16, 



Skull rather smaller than that of C. regulus ; on the whole 

 similar in shape except that the mesopterygoid fossa is unusually 

 narrow, and the ridges bounding it do not slope upwards (dorsad) 

 so much as usual, as they pass above (dorsad to) the posterior edge 

 of the palate ; the vertical space formed between the ridges and 

 the hinder end of the palate is therefore of much less vertical 

 extent than in other members of the Evotomys-Craseo'mys group. 



Teeth apparently as usual, the last upper molar with six, and 

 the first lower with nine salient angles. 



Dimensions of four of the largest specimens : — 



S (very old). Head and body 104 mm, 

 <?(type) » 98 „ 



$. „ 100 „ 



$. „ 93 „ 



tail 32; hind foot 18 

 „ 33; ,, 18 

 „ 31; „ 18 

 „ 29; „ 17 



ear 13. 

 „ 13. 

 „ 12. 

 „ 12. 



Skull of type — greatest length 26"2 mm. ; basilar length 23'3 ; 

 zygomatic breadth 14' 6 ; nasals 7*4 ; palatilar length 12-6 ; palatal 

 foramina 5*5 ; length of upper molar series (crowns) 6' 2. 



Hah. As above. 



I'^/i^e. Adult male. B.M. No. 8.8.7.85. Original number 1634. 

 Collected 4 December, 1907. 



This fine species, which was found by Mr. Anderson high up in 

 the spruce-covered mountains N.W. of Tai-Yuen-Fu, may be 

 readily distinguished from any of its allies by its unvisually short 

 tail, which barely surpasses that of average members of the 

 Microtine series of Yoles. In addition its pale colour and peculiar 

 palate are characteristic. 



No Red Voles have hitherto been found anywhere near 

 Shan-si, the nearest being the Chih-li example of G. regxdus 

 referred to above. I continue to use the name Craseomys in a 

 generic sense for the group of Red Voles which either do not 

 form roots to their molars at all, or only do so in extreme old age. 

 Hardly a specimen of the Far Eastern species has been found with 

 its molar teeth no longer encapsuled, so that it is of interest to 

 mention that in No. 1625 the capsules have almost disappeared, 

 and the molars appear to be on the point of forming roots. In 

 the Scandinavian C rufocanus roots appear to be formed at rather 

 an earlier period of life, so that that species, while technically 

 genotype, is the least typical member of the genus. 



" Rather common in the brush-covered valley-bottoms at Chao- 

 Cheng-Shan. Not seen elsewhere." — M. P. A. 



19. Lepus swinhoei Thos. 



$ . 1572. Tung-chou, on the Peking plain. 

 6. 1613. $. 1606. lOOmilesN.W. of Tai-Yuen-Fu, Shan-si. 

 8000'. 



"Said to be common round Peking, but if so is not easily 

 seen." 



" A common species at Chao- Cheng- shan, and near Tai-Yuen, 



