LAaoMxa BOXLii. 227 



The Himalayan Mousb-harb. 



Descr. — General color deep rabbit-gray or brown with a yellowish gray 

 tinge, more or less rufous on the head, neck, shoulders, and sides of body ; 

 ears elliptic, roundish at tip, nearly nude, with some long white hairs ex- 

 ternally ; muzzle hairy, brown ; lower lip pale ; under parts dingy whitish ; 

 whiskers long and fine, white anteriorly, the posterior ones blackish, 2-^ 

 inches long. The hairs of the body are dark-bluish at the base, with a 

 broad gray ring and a dark brown point, some of them slaty-black, then 

 rufous-brown, finally tipped dark ; the fur delicately soft and fine. 



Length varies from 6 to nearly 8 inches ; of one 7 inches long the head 

 2 ; ears |ths ; hind-feet 1-^. 



Some specimens have much more rufous than others. Hodgson de- 

 scribed his L. nipalensis (which BIyth identifies with Boylei) as deep bay 

 from snout to mid-body, black freckled with paler rufous thence to the 

 vent ; below chin and belly, pale bay, limbs the same. This indicates a 

 somewhat darker coloration than is usually met with. 



This species of Lagomys was first made known from skins sent home by 

 Eoyle from the Chor mountain, not far from Simla. This hill, I may 

 observe, is some distance south from the snowy range, and on one of 

 the outer ranges of the Himalayas. I have observed it in Kumaon also 

 at some distance on this side of the Snowy jpnge, near the Borendo pass, 

 and elsewhere, at heights varying from 11,000 to 14,000 feet. It has 

 been found all along the Himalayas at suitable elevations, from Kashmir 

 to Sikim. It is also fotmd on the other side of the snowy range, but 

 in some parts is replaced by another species. It lives always in rocky 

 ground or among loose stones, several pairs together. They come out to 

 to feed, but dart into their holes on the smallest alarm. It is said that 

 they hibernate during winter. 



Lagomys Curzonim has been lately described by Hodgson from Tibet 

 and the interior of Sikim. This species replaces the common species in 

 Ladak, and other countries beyond the snowy range. 



Lagomys rufescens, Gray, is another species from Afghanistan, and 

 there are others in Northern and Central Asia, and one or two in North 

 America. 



