606 



RODENTIA 



hind foot, nearly concealed in fur, and mamnjse 14 to 16 * instead 

 of 8 ; skull resembling that of Cricetus in general features, but 

 anteorbital foramen without external plate, and flattened area on 

 dorsal surface of brain-case broad, its outline somewhat truncate- 

 diamond shaped ; ectopterygoid fossa short, deep, and con- 

 spicuously pit-like ; teeth not essentially different from those of 

 Cricetus, though showing a higher degree of specialization. 



Remarks. — -This well characterized genus contains six described 

 forms, one of which occurs in eastern Europe. It is the most 

 aberrant of the Old World group of Cricetinse. 



MESOCRICETUS NEWTONI Nehring. 



1898. Cricetus newtoni Nehring, Zool. Anzeiger, xxi, p. 329, May 16, 1898. 

 1898. Cricetus (Mesocricetus) newtoni Nehring, Wiegmann's Archiv fur 

 Naturgeschichte, 1898, i, p. 386, December, 1898. 



1900. M[esocricetus'] newtoni Satunin, Zool. Anzeiger, xxm, p. 301, May 28, 



1900. 

 1910. Mesocricetus newtoni Trouessart, 3?aune Mamm. d'Europe, p. 162. 



Type locality. — Schumla, eastern Bulgaria. 



Geographical distribution. — Eastern portions of Bulgaria and 

 Boumania. Exact limits of range not known. 



Diagnosis. — Size smaller than in Cricetus cricetus (hind foot 

 less than 20 mm., condylobasal length of skull less than 40 mm.) ; 

 black of underparts not extending behind fore legs ; a blackish 

 area on crown continued backward as median line to between 

 shoulders ; an oblique black stripe from side of shoulder to 

 lower margin of cheek. 



External characters. — General form as in Cricetus cricetus, but 

 tail nearly concealed in fur, its surface without trace of scales or 

 annulations, and noticeably more hairy below than above. Ear 

 as in Cricetus, extending to eye when laid forward. Feet as in 

 Cricetus, but pads on sole more crowded, the postero-internal 

 and postero-external at same level, and the others showing a 

 distinct tendency to become arranged in pairs. Sole almost 

 naked throughout, the portion behind tubercles slightly pubescent. 

 Mammas : 7-7 or 8-8 (in skin No. 122097, U.S.N.M., 

 apparently p 4 — 4, i 4 — 4). 



Colour. — Upper parts a light drab brown, perhaps most 

 nearly the broccoli-brown of Bidgway, but paler and with a 

 slight wood-brown cast, especially along middle of back, every- 

 where finely and inconspicuously sprinkled with blackish hairs. 

 Underparts cream-buff, clearer and more yellowish along sides of 

 body, neck and cheeks, duller and somewhat obscured by the 

 smoke-grey under colour on belly ; region from interramia to 

 between fore legs and covering antero-internal surface of leg 

 nearly to wrist blackish brown, not so dark as the corresponding 



* See Nehring, Sifcz.-Ber. Gesellsch, Naturforsch. Freunde, Berlin. 



1901, p. 155. 



