126 W. T. Blanford— On the species of Marmot [No. 3, 



have examined 3 skins and skulls myself. With the evidence before me, I have 

 not the slightest doubt that a small marmot does inhabit the northern parts 

 of Sikkim and Nepal, and that it is quite distinct in structure, colour, and 

 size from the large A. caudatus of Kashmir and Ladak. Unfortunately, 

 the Sikkim skins which Dr. Anderson identified with a specimen belong- 

 ing to the Kashmir species have not been found. It is remarkable 

 that every individual of A. Semachalanus yet examined has been kept in 

 captivity ; skins of the wild animal are a great desideratum. The skull of 

 the specimen received from Mr. Rutledge is perfectly well formed and all 

 the teeth are healthy. 



Dr. Aitcheson of Srinagar has had the kindness to make enquiries 

 about the marmots of Kashmir, and he has sent me specimens of young 

 A. caudatus. As in most young animals, the colours are indistinct, and 

 there is a peculiar immature appearance about the fur. These young speci- 

 mens can be at once distinguished from A. Hemachalanus by their longer 

 tails. 



It will be seen that the whole of the additional evidence tends to prove 

 that, exclusive of A. robustus, there are three and not two species of marmot 

 in the Himalayas, and Tibet, and that neither of these species is identical 

 with A. bobac. 



"Within the last few days, Mr. Mandelli of Darjiling has sent to the 

 Indian Museum a magnificent collection of mammal skins from Sikkim and 

 Tibet, part of which he has presented to the Museum, and he has most 

 liberally allowed me to examine the whole. There is no specimen of 

 Arctomys SemacJialanus, but there are two fine skins of A. Simalayanus. 

 These coincide very fairly in external characters with those from the Kuen- 

 luen, they are a very little greyer in tint and darker on the face, but there 

 can be no hesitation in referring both forms to the same species. The skull 

 of one of Mr. Mandelli's skins has been extracted for me by Mr. Fraser. 

 Although it is near to that of the Kuenluen marmot and to that of A. 

 robustus, it differs somewhat from both ; its longitudinal and transverse 

 diameters being 101 and 67 millemeters, so that it is decidedly broader in 

 proportion to its length, whilst its height is rather less, and the nasal bones 

 are shorter and less convex. Despite these and other differences, there is 

 a general agreement in details, and I feel disposed to believe that the dis- 

 tinctions are insufficient for separation. Moreover, it is evident that the 

 cranial distinctions already pointed out in the case of A. robustus are not 

 greater than those which are found between the two forms of A. Ilimalayanus, 

 and, consequently, that either A. robustus must be united to that species, 

 or the Kuenluen marmot must be classed as distinct. I prefer the former 

 view and have adopted it in the preceding synonymy. 



Dr. Severtzoff has recently visited London, and [ am indebted to Mr. 

 Dresser for obtaining from the Russian naturalist a few notes on some of the 



