SPALAX MURINUS.— ARCTOMYS BOBAC. 113 



includes Greece among the countries which this animal 

 inhabits. 



Spalax muriiras. 



Spalax murinus, Pallas, Zoog. Boss. As. 



Mtis talpinus, Schrebbe, Mamm. iv. p. 711. tab. 203; Pallas, Not. 

 Spec. Glir. p. 176. tab. 11. 



Description. — Pallas, in the < Zoographia Eosso-Asiatica,' 

 gives only the following : — " S. caudatus, dentibus primo- 

 ribus exsertis, unguiculis palmarum minusciilis." Burrows 

 like the Mole, and feeds on bulbous roots. 



Common in the more temperate parts of Russia and 

 Western Siberia, but is not found in Eastern Siberia, nor 

 further north than the 55th degree of latitude. 



Genus ARCTOMYS. 



Teeth. — Incisors, | ; molars, |^|= 22; upper incisors 

 very strong, rounded in front ; lower ones somewhat com- 

 pressed ; grinders simple, tubercled. Body compact ; head 

 wide, flat above ; eyes large ; ears short, and rounded ; 

 front feet with four toes and a rudimentary thumb ; hind- 

 feet with five toes ; tail moderate or short, velvety. 



Arctomys Bobac. 



Arctomys Bobac, Desm. Mamm. Sp. 522. 

 Arctomys Baibak, Pallas, Zoog. Boss. As. 



Description. — Fur greyish black on the top of the head, 

 somewhat reddish about the whiskers, and decidedly so on 

 the throat, as well as on all the parts beneath, and on 

 the inside of the legs. Fur of the upper parts of the body 

 grey, with longer hairs interspersed of a brown or black 

 colour, with greyish tips ; tail red-brown above near the 



