MUSCARDINUS 



583 



Genus MUSCARDINUS Kaiip. 



1829. Muscardinus Kaup, Entw.-Gesoh. u. Natiirl. Syst. Europ. Thierwelt, 



I, p. 134. 

 1843. Muscardinus Wagner, Abhandl. k. Bayer. Akad. Wissensch., Miirt- 



ohen, Math.-Phys. 01., in, p. 185 (Sub-genus of Myoxus). 



1857. Muscardinus Blasius, Saugethiere Deutschlands, p. 289 (Sub-genus 



of Myoxus). 

 1890. Muscardinus Reuvens, Die Myoxidae oder Schlaef er, p. 25 (Sub-genus 

 of Myoxus). 



Type species. — Mus avellanarius Linnaeus. 



Geographical distribution. — Prom England east into Asia 

 Minor and from central and southern Sweden to the Mediter- 

 ranean coast and Sicily, though not at present known from the 

 Iberian and Balkan Peninsulas. 



Characters. — Skull deep, as in Eliomys and Dyromys, but inter- 

 orbital region flattened, with slightly raised edges, its median 

 portion usually with one or two small irregular perforations at 

 narrowest part ; ectopterygoid absent ; jugal moderately long in 

 front, extending about half-way up anterior border of orbit ; 

 mandible with angular portion fenestrate ; dental formula as in 

 the other European members of the family ; crowns of cheek- 

 teeth essentially flat, the margins not elevated, the outer border 

 of m 1 and m 2 with five or six low cusps ; crowns of m 1 and m 2 

 conspicuously unlike in size and form, the five cross ridges of the 

 larger first molar mostly oblique, the seven ridges of the smaller 

 second molar strictly transverse ; external form not peculiar ; 

 tail long, moderately bushy ; feet more specialized than in the 

 other European members of the group. 



Bemarks. — This genus with its flat-crowned molars and 

 unusually prehensile feet represents the most highly specialized 

 stage attained by the European Muscardinidse. As might be 

 anticipated the habits of the species are more strictly arborial 

 than in the other genera. Three species are now known, two 

 of which occur in Europe, the other in Asia Minor. 



KEY TO THE EUROPEAN SPECIES OE MUSCARDINUS. 



Upper parts dull yellowish brown ; no sharp line 

 of demarcation along sides ; no white stripe 

 between ear and eye (Distribution general)... M. avellanarius, p. 583. 



Upper parts bright buff ; a sharp line of demarca- 

 tion along sides; a vertical white stripe 

 between ear and eye (Central Italy) M. pulcher, p. 590. 



MUSCARDINUS AVELLANARIUS Linnseus. 



1758. [Jfws] avellanarius Linnseus, Syst. Nat., i, 10th ed., p. 62 (Sweden). 

 1782. Myoxus muscardinus Schreber, Saugthiere, pi. ccxxvu ; text, iv, 

 p. 835, 1788 (Germany). 



1858. Myoxus avellanarius Blasius, Saugethiere Deutschlands, p. 297. 



