444 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Among two or three hundred skins of Wood Mice, mostly 

 in the Collection now being formed by the efforts of Mr. Old- 

 field Thomas from all parts of the British Isles and Europe, 

 not one of this species occurred, until about a month ago one 

 appeared among some skins sent from Oundle by Lord Lilford, 

 and further search showed that there was another specimen 

 in the Museum Collection from Tharand, in Saxony. This 

 latter specimen clearly proved that the larger variety casually 

 mentioned by continental writers should also be referred to this 

 species. 



When I thought I had come to the end of all literature on 

 European mice, I happened to come across Schiodte's ' Zoologia 

 Danica' (1878 — 93), and turning up Mus sylvaticus I found men- 

 tion of a form called by Melchior Mus flavicollis, as stated in 

 the commencement of this paper, and on referring to Melchior's 

 work I saw my mouse described and fairly accurately figured in a 

 coloured plate. 



Sixty years have elapsed since this species was described 

 and named, and yet it seems to have been entirely overlooked, 

 a fact which only shows how little work has been done in regard 

 to the smaller mammalia, and how necessary it is to see a good 

 series of specimens, such as I have already alluded to, when 

 working out a species. I am proud to say that I have already 

 contributed largely to this collection, and now add my fine series 

 of Mus flavicollis. 



The peculiarities of the skull undoubtedly are only those we 

 should expect to find in a giant race, but seeing that they seem 

 constant in the adults, and that the colour variation shows itself 

 in the immature pelage, I think we have quite good reason to give 

 this mouse specific rank. The distribution, of course, is the 

 puzzle ; had this mouse been an isolated form, or confined more 

 or less to a certain area, there would have been no question of 

 the species being valid ; but these problems we must endeavour 

 to solve, and there certainly is no question that Melchior's name 

 and work should no longer be left unnoticed. 



I trust these remarks may be the means of showing how 

 much we have neglected our own small mammals, and I hope 

 before long to make known more interesting facts relating to the 

 local forms and distribution of other species. 



In conclusion, I may add that Mus sylvaticus still fights the 



