584 



RODENTIA 



1869. Mus eorilinum Patio, Paune Vert. Suisse, J, p. 183 (name attributed 

 to Schreber). 



1890. Muscwrdinus avellanarius Reuvens, Die Myoxidae oder Schlaefer, 

 p. 69. 



1900. M[uscardinus~\ avellanarius angUcus Barrett-Hamilton, Proe. Zool. 

 Soc, London, p. 86 (Bedford Purlieus, Thornhaugh, Northampton- 

 shire, England). Type in British Museum. 



1910. Muscwrdinus avellanarius and M. avellanarius anglicus Trouessart, 

 Paune Mamm. d'Europe, p. 135. 



Type locality. — Central Sweden. 



Geographical distribution. — Throughout central Europe from 

 England eastward ; north to central Sweden, south to the 

 Pyrenees and to Rome, Italy. 



Diagnosis. — Smallest European member of the family, the 

 general size not much greater than that of a large house mouse ; 

 colour dull yellowish brown above, buffy beneath, the chin and 

 throat usually whitish, the flanks between the clay-colour and 

 ochraceous-buff of Ridgway ; no whitish stripe in front of ear. 



External characters. — General form essentially as in Eliomys 

 quercinus, but eye relatively larger and more prominent, ear 

 relatively shorter (extending to outer canthus of eye when laid 

 forward), its inner surface with conspicuous ridge above meatus 

 as in Dyromys, and tail uniformly haired throughout. Fore 

 foot with digits relatively longer than in the other European 

 genera, and closing obliquely inward so as to come in opposition 

 with the much enlarged inner tubercle, the unusual size of which, 

 about equal to that of all the other tubercles together, enables 

 it to function as a low, broad thumb ; terminal lobe of this 

 tubercle representing true thumb small though evident ; propor- 

 tional lengths of fingers as in Eliomys. Hind foot rather short 

 and broad, as in Glis, the sole naked to heel, the two inner 

 tubercles somewhat enlarged, but not specially elongated ; inner 

 digit a mere rudiment scarcely larger than its corresponding 

 tubercle, its claw obsolete ; other digits relatively longer than 

 in the related genera. Tail partly prehensile, slightly 

 flattened, extending about ,to ears when laid forward, uniformly 

 haired and loosely short-bushy throughout. Mammae : 

 pl-1, ol-l i2-2 = 8. 



Colour. — Entire upper parts and outer surface of legs 

 yellowish brown, the exact shade between the wood-brown or 

 clay-colour and buff of Ridgway, sometimes with a slight greyish 

 or ecru-drab cast across shoulders, the middle of back incon- 

 spicuously sprinkled with blackish hairs ; sides, flanks, cheeks and 

 ears tinged with ochraceous-buff; tail concolor with back above, 

 faintly lighter below, the tip with a dusky tinge; underparts 

 and inner surface of legs light ochraceous-buff, slightly contrasted 

 with sides and without sharp line of demarcation, the hairs, 

 like those of back, slate-grey at base ; chin and throat with an 

 irregular area of pure white (to base of hairs), this occasionally 



