I860.] Note on Lagomys Curzonvce, Hodgson. Ill 



Schreber.* The first never frequents a great elevation above the 

 bottom of the valleys and is especially numerous in the neighbourhood 

 of streams. Arctomys bobac (called by the Tibetans Phya) makes its 

 very deep burrows mostly on the sides of the valleys and near their 

 bottom ; it ascends, however, the slopes of the hills in this portion of 

 Ladak to a height of 17,800 feet. This greatest elevation, at which I 

 observed it, was near the Samunda-la, south-east of the Chomoriri ; 

 while the lowest was in the Para valley about 15,400 feet. It lives 

 probably lower than this. 



L. Curzonice ranges, however, somewhat higher. I noticed it on 

 the top of the Lanak pass at an elevation of 18,672 feet, where only 

 two minute plants existed, Stracheya Tibetica, Bth. and Gapsella Thom- 

 son! ', Hf. both flowering in August. f It is found associated with 

 Co reus tibetanus, Hodgs., Gyps fulvus, Grmel. and a new species of 

 Procarduelis, among birds ; an Argynnis, among butterflies and some 

 common flies, forming the highest observed animal life in these 

 hills. In fact it is difficult to design a limit to the height up to which 

 L. Curzonice lives. I believe, it ranges as high as any trace of 

 vegetation exists, which would be here about 19,000 feet, or very 

 near it. Between the two given limits of the Para valley and 

 19,000 feet, it is seen in great abundance all over the eastern portion 

 of Ladak. It is certainly the species of Adams and Cunningham, as 

 there is to my knowledge, no other Lagomys here, at least none so 

 common. Its geographical range must extend farther to the east and 

 south-east, as Mr. Hodgson obtained his specimens from the district 

 of Chumbi, (north-west of Sikkim ?). I have not observed it South 

 of the Bara-latse range, either in Spiti or in the south-eastern part 

 of Lahoul, the Chandra valley ; although Phaiomys Gucurus does 

 occur in both provinces and even in Kulu. In Spiti, Lagomys Curzo- 

 nice is represented by the smaller L. Roylei, Ogilby, which there lives 

 between 12,500 (above Lari) and 16,000 feet, but usually about 

 13,000 feet. 



* Mr. Blyth (Cat. of the Mammalia of the Asiatic Museum, 1863, p. 109) unites 

 and, I think, with good reason, Mr. Hodgson's Arctomys tibetanus and hemacha,' 

 lanus, \_EimoIaycmus was not used by the first author] as well as Arct. fulvus, 

 Evers., with the species, which became first known through the travels of 

 Pallas in Northern Asia, and which Schreber named A. bobac. 



f Dr. Thomson (Travels, p. 144) mentions three plants on the Lanak pass, a 

 little Arenaria or Stellaria and two Cruciferse. 



