38 W. T. Blanford — Zoology of Sikkim. [No. 1, 



is a distinct and midescribed species. Adults are very much larger than 

 Hodgson's original specimens, being nine inches and upward in length, 

 rivalling or exceeding L. rufescens in size, and the prevailing colour is isa- 

 belline. This species Avhich has been excellently described by Dr. Stoliczka, 

 1. cit., is easily distinguished from L. rufescens, by its longer and softer fur. 



It may be objected that Hodgson having already described Lagomys 

 Moylei under the name of L. Nipalensis, must have had a distinct species 

 before him when he described L. Curzonice. But L. Nipalensis is of a very 

 different colour from the typical L. Moylei, being, as described by Hodgson, 

 deep bay from the snout to mid body. It was so distinct in appearance 

 that Blyth described the young of L. Moylei as L. JLodgsonii, immediately 

 after Hodgson had described and figured L. Nipalensis, and the latter species 

 is kept distinct from L. Moylei by Waterhouse (Rod. pp. 24, 26,) and by 

 Dr. Gray* Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. Sept. 1867, p. 220. I am myself 

 inclined to believe that Mr. Blyth was quite right in uniting L. Nipalensis 

 with L. Moylei, because the structural differences pointed out by Waterhouse 

 appear scarcely of sufficient importance to prove the animals distinct, whilst 

 the presence or absence of rufous coloration in mammals is not usually of 

 much importance. But at the same time there do appear to be some slight 

 differences between the forms inhabiting the Himalayas, and the divergence 

 is greatest between the Nipal and the Sikkim races, a far greater difference 

 existing than between other forms which Mr. Hodgson, who held extreme 

 ideas on the subject, described as distinct species. The materials before me 

 are insufficient to justify an accurate judgment in this matter, but they in- 

 dicate the possibility of the three races being distinguishable in this 

 manner. 



Lagomys Moylei, verus. Six to eight inches ; fur less soft, brown with a 

 greyish tinge. 



Do. var. Nipalensis. Length seven to eight inches, fur chesnut or bay 

 above. 



Do. var. Curzonice. Length six to seven inches, fur mouse brown, very 

 soft. 



At the same time the differences are so small that a good series of speci- 

 mens would probably show a complete passage from one to the other. 



Even if the Lagomys seen by Hooker north of the Sikkim frontier were 

 different from the Sikkim species, the name applied to it by him L. badius, 

 implies a very different coloration from that of Dr. Stoliczka's L. Curzonice. 



* Dr. Gray also keeps L. Hodgsonii distinct, though it is considered by Water- 

 house identical with L. Nipalensis, and both were united to Boylei by Mr. Blyth 

 himself in his Catalogue of the jiammalia in the Asiatic Society's Museum, p. 133. 



