MURIDAE 463 
externally ; the tail is moderate, and thickly haired; and the 
auditory bulle are very small. The first upper molar has three, 
and the others two lamine. 
Subfamily Dendromyinze.—Incisors convex in front; molars 3, 
rooted and tuberculated. Ears hairy; claws long. Confined to 
the Ethiopian region. 
Dendromys1—A. small Rodent, with the habits of a Dormouse, 
characterised by its grooved incisors, slender form, and long scaly 
tail, which ‘is sparsely haired. Two other Murines described as 
Steatomys? and Lophuromys® are referred to this subfamily. The 
first is of plump form, with a rather short and thickly haired 
tail, and grooved incisors. The latter resembles Steatomys in form, 
but has fine flattened bristles instead of fur, and plain incisors. 
Subfamily Cricetine.—Molars #, tuberculate and rooted, with 
the tubercles of the upper ones arranged in two longitudinal rows 
(Fig. 206, B). This subfamily has an almost 
cosmopolitan distribution, and appears to include 
the most generalised members of the family, from 
which the more specialised J/urinw have been 
evolved. 
Cricetus.sA—According to the arrangement pro- 
posed by Mr. O. Thomas ® this genus is taken to 
include both the Hamsters of the Old World 
(Cricetus proper) and the white-footed or Vesper 
Mice (Hesperomys) of the New. Cheek-pouches 
are frequently present, and may be very large. Fre. 203.—Left upper 
The first molar (Fig. 206, 6) generally has six molars of Mus (1) and 
tubercles. The tail may be very short. ne 
This large and unwieldy genus may be divided into a number of 
groups or subgenera. The typical group includes the Hamsters of - 
the Old World, characterised by the large size of their cheek-pouches, 
the walls of which are connected with muscles arising from the 
lumbar vertebre. The tail is remarkable for its shortness. The 
best-known species is C. frumenturius, inhabiting Europe and Northern 
Asia. The American forms, which range over the whole of that 
continent, comprise a number of subgenera, of which the following 
are the most important. Lhipidomys, including Dormouse-like 
forms with long tails and a dentition like that of the typical 
group; Oryzomys, represented by Murine species; Culoniys, with 
short tail and Hamster-like body ; / esperimus, with only five tuber- 
cles on the first molar; Onychomys, in which the tail is extremely 
1 Andrew Smith, S. African Quart. Journ. vol. ii. p. 158 (1834). 
? Peters, Reise n. Mossambigque, vol. i. p. 162 (1852). 
3 Peters, Monatsber. Ah, Berlin, 1874, p. 234. 
+ Cuvier, Regre Animal, vol. i. p. 198 (1817). 
° Proc. Zool. Soc, 1888, p. 138. 
