216 AEVICOtlNiB, 



This family comprises several forms mostly Paljearctic, one or two species 

 only occurring in the Himalayas, of the same genus as the water-rat and 

 meadow vole of Britain. 



Gen. Arvicola, Lacepede. 



8yn. Hypudceus, Illiger. 



Char. — Incisors smooth in front ; snout short, bluntish ; eyes small or 

 moderate ; anterior feet with four toes and a hallucar wart, posterior feet 

 five toed; nails curved; tail short or moderate, hairy; otherwise as in 

 the character of the sub-family. 



202. Arvicola Roylei. 



Gkay, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. 1842.— Figd. Eoyle, HI. Bot. Himal— 

 Blyth, Cat. p. 125. 



The Himalayan Vole. 



Descr. — Above ashy-brown with a tinge of rufous more or less apparent ; 

 beneath pale brownish -ashy ; ears moderately large, rounded, hairy • tail 

 clad with rigid pale hairs ; incisors yellow in front. 



Length of one, head and body 3-^ inches ; tail l-f^ ; hind-foot -S-ths. 

 One procured by myself measured, head and body 3| ; tail 1|. 



The Himalayan Vole is noted by Blyth only from Kashmir and Pind 

 Dadun Khan, in the Punjab. I obtained it in Kimawar, near Chini, at 

 an elevation of nearly 12,000 feet, and again on the south side of the 

 Barendo pass, at about the same height, in great numbers in a fine meadow, 

 where it was burrowing lightly close to the surface, and several were 

 caught in digging a Ught trench round my tent. I also observed it in 

 the Pir Punjal pass. Its occurring at such a low level as Pind Dadun 

 Khan is remarkable, as it is only found on the Himalayas at great eleva- 

 tions. 



In the recent edition of Hodgson's British Museum Collections, there is 

 No. 116, Arvicola thricotis, new species, Darjeeling, in woods near 

 houses ; but it is added, compare with Neodon sikimemis. 



Gen. Neodon, Hodgson. 



Chav. — Nearly allied to Arvicola ; incisors similar ; grinders both above 



