1841.] On a 7iew species of La gomys. 855 



which seems proper to the Lagomides. The ear is rather less than half the 

 length of the head, is truncated, rounded, and nearly nude except on the 

 anterior and incurved edge of the helix, where very short hairs are pretty 

 closely set. The upper and outer pair of front teeth have a very deep 

 longitudinal groove, so as to look like four instead of two, but neither 

 these, nor the inferior pair are at all remarkable for size or strength, offer- 

 ing in this respect, a strong contrast to Rhizomys. The inner pair of up- 

 per teeth are palpable, but minute. The whiskers are long, and firm, 

 reaching to the shoulders ; the lips and the muzzle entirely furred : the eyes 

 medial : the body full and cylindric : no vestige of tail : the limbs short, 

 but fine, and of nearly equal length and strength before and behind : pen- 

 tadactylous before, tetradactylous behind : the nails acute : the soles fully 

 clad, except the termino-digital balls, and a tiny carpal pad placed a little 

 behind the elevated thumb. The last named are the sole parts of the 

 whole body, which are denuded of fur. The fur of the animal is Le- 

 porine in the general character, but softer and more silky. It is of one 

 sort, about an inch long, and of uniform structure throughout each pile, 

 or hardly perceptible, harsher in its apical portion. On the head and 

 limbs the fur is shorter, more adpressed, and less silky. The general 

 colour, internally, is blue black, but externally is deep bay from the 

 snout to the mid-body, and black freckled with paler rufous, thence 

 to the vent. Below the chin and belly are pale bay, and the limbs are the 

 same. There is a pale spot, or tuft rather, at the outer base of each 

 ear, and the mustachio is half dark and half light. 



The following specific character may, for the present, indicate the ani- 

 mal : — 



Lag. Nep. with broad, rounded, nudish ears, nearly half the length 

 of the head, soles nude on the termino-digital balls only, and soft equa- 

 ble fur, which is dark bay from the snout to waist, and rufescently freckled, 

 black thence to the vent : below and the limbs, paler bay ; snout to 

 vent 7 inches : head 2 : ears i : palm (with nail) | : planta (with nail) 

 1|: female similar, smaller, 6 J from snout to vent. Habitat, Himalaya 

 of Nepal. 



Catmandoo, August, 1841. 



