MICROMYS 841 



Great Britain eastward ; in Europe north to Scotland and 

 Denmark, south to Italy and southern France. 



Diagnosis.— Skull differing from that of Apodemus in the 

 greatly reduced rostrum (distance from gnathion to lower edge 

 of infraorbital foramen less than depth through lachrymal region) 

 and in the early fusion of nasal bones along median line ; teeth 

 essentially as in Apodemus, but m l with third outer tubercle 

 obsolete ; ear with large triangular valve capable of completely 

 closing the meatus ; tail prehensile, bare above at tip ; two 

 posterior palmar tubercles united in median line. 



Remarks. — This genus is well defined by the peculiarities of 

 the skull, ear, tail and palm. At present one species only is 

 known, the widely distributed harvest mouse. 



MICROMYS MINUTUS Pallas.* 

 (Synonymy under subspecies.) 



Geographical distribution. — Same as that of the genus 

 Micromys. 



Diagnosis. — General characters as in the genus; size very 

 small (head and body, 55 to 75 mm. ; hind foot, 13 to 16 mm. ; 

 condylobasal length of skull, 16 to 18 mm.) ; colour above brown 

 with a yellowish or russet tinge, below whitish or buffy. 



External characters. — General form slender and delicate, but 

 head rather short and .round, owing to the reduced condition of 

 the rostrum. Ear low and rounded, extending barely half way 

 to eye when laid forward, its height above crown only abput 

 5 mm. ; lower portion of conch with conspicuous triangular 

 lobe 2 mm. in height capable of completely closing the meatus ; 

 surface of ear finely pubescent both inside and out, the meatal 

 valve with a conspicuous tuft of hairs nearly 5 mm. in length. 

 Feet relatively broader than those of Apodemus sylvaticus, but 

 proportions of digits not peculiar ; palmar and plantar tubercles 

 essentially as in Apodemus sylvaticus, but posterior plantar 

 tubercles relatively larger and more elongate, and posterior 

 palmar tubercles so enlarged that they are confluent along 

 median line behind, forming with the thumb a single itubercular 

 mass opposed to the balls of the fingers. Tail prehensile, about 

 as long as head and body, thinly haired below, more thinly 

 above, the distal fifth or sixth of upper surface bare ; no true 

 pencil, but an inconspicuous tuft usually projects beyond under 

 side of naked tip ; annulations everywhere more distinct and 

 regular below than above, this especially true of prehensile ter- 

 minal area where the rings are completely broken up on dorsal 

 surface ; at middle there are about sixteen to the centimeter. 

 Colour. — See descriptions of subspecies. 



* 1771. Mus minutus Pallas, Beise durch verschiedene Provinzen des 

 Bussischen Beichs, i, p. 454 (Banks of the Volga, Bussia). 



