AECTOMIB BOB AC. 181 



Sub-fam. Akctomydin^, Marmots. 



Dental formula, incisors - — - ; prsemolars - — - ; molars - — - ; incisors 

 1 — 1 1 — 1 o — o 



smooth in front, rounded; molars enamelled continuously, marked by 

 transverse tubercles on the crown ; the first upper tooth smaller than the 

 rest. Ears short, rounded, scarcely apparent. Fore-feet with 4 toes, 

 and an unguiculate hallucar wart; hind-feet with 5 toes; claws strong, 

 incurred. Tail short or moderate. 



Marmots are heavy-bodied animals with short tails, of social habits, 

 and strictly terrestrial, burrowing extensively in the ground, and inhabit- 

 ing elevated districts in the north of both continents, more particularly 

 North America. There are only two genera in the sub-family, one dis- 

 tinguished by the presence of cheek-pouches, and not represented in our 

 limits. The other is 



Gen. Arctomys, Gmelin. 



Char. — ^Those of the family ; tail short ; head and eyes large ; no cheek 

 pouch ; body stout ; ten to twelve mammse in the female. 



168, Arctomys bobao. 



ScHREBEE. — Blyth, Cat. 348. — Pallas, Glires t. 6. — A. tibetanus, 

 Hodgson, ohm A. himalayanus — A. caudatus, Jaqdemont, "Voyage. — Brin 

 of Kashmir. — Kadia-piu, in Tibet. — Ghibi, Bhot. — Lho or Fot-sammiong, 

 Lepch. — White Marmot of Adams. 



The Tibet Marmot. 



Descr. — Color a clear fulvescent cat-gray, like that of Felis chaus, 

 fading into pure rufescent-yellow beneath ; limbs and ears the same, but 

 darker; chaffron and end of tail, dark-brown; fur close and thick, both 

 hairy and woolly ; tail cylindric, bluff pointed. 



Length, head and body 23 to 24 inches ; tail 5 to 6. 



This marmot, which inhabits Eastern Europe and Central Asia, is only 

 a scanty outUer in our province, crossing over the snowy Himalayas only 

 for a short distance, but found on the Indian side along the whole length 

 of the range, from Kashmir to Sikim, though less abundantly than on 



