574 R0DENTIA 



larger than the three anterior. Claw of inner toe relatively 

 more reduced, closely appressed to pad. Tail easily broken as in 

 Eliomys and showing the same tendency to produce an abnormally 

 thickened pencil when injured, its hairs long throughout, its 

 form strictly distichous in adult, but terete through basal half 

 in young. Mammae : p2 — 2, a 2 — 2, i'2 — 2 = 12. 



Colour. — Upper parts ranging from a yellowish broccoli-brown 

 to bluish smoke-grey, a little darkened on back by a sprinkling 

 of long blackish hairs ; underfur slate-grey at base, the general 

 body colour appearing at extreme tips only ; hairs unusually 

 glossy throughout, producing a noticeable metallic silvery lustre, 

 especially on posterior half of back ; head faintly lighter than 

 body ; a narrow dusky eye-ring ; ears like surrounding parts or 

 somewhat dusky ; underparts and inner surface of legs pale buff, 

 the line of demarcation rather well denned and extending on cheek 

 to lower edge of eye-ring ; feet dull pale buff, irregularly clouded 

 with dusky or plumbeous ; tail with upper surface essentially 

 like back but usually darker or more slaty, its under surface 

 lighter, with ill-defined pale median stripe sometimes extending 

 nearly to pencil but more often indistinct beyond middle. Young 

 dull plumbeous grey above, buffy white below, the light area on 

 under side of tail usually better denned than in adult. 



t^ 



FIG. 113. 

 Glis gtts. Nat. size. 



Skull. — In general the skull differs from that of Eliomys 

 quercinus chiefly in its broader, lower form, a peculiarity that is 

 especially noticeable in posterior view. Profiles essentially as in 



