COMMON FIELD VOLE OF THESSALY. 141 



remained so long unrecognised, or confounded with other 

 European species. 



Messrs. Danford and Alston, who, with some misgiving, 

 thought it might possibly be identical with A. leucura of Severt- 

 zoff,* thus described it : — 



" It is not with a light heart that we venture to add to the long list 

 of described species of Arvicola ; but two specimens of a Vole which 

 Danford found abundantly in the marshes below Marash, present such 

 striking characters that no choice is left to us. 



" The following is a detailed description of the animal, which belongs 

 to Blasius's subgenus Arvicola proper, characterised by the first lower 

 molar having nine and the second upper molar four cemental 

 prisms : — 



"Ears moderate, well haired towards their margin, showing dis- 

 tinctly above the fur. Tail hardly longer than the hind foot, and a 

 little more than one-fifth the length of the head and body. Soles 

 densely haired almost to the roots of the toes; fore feet with five 

 tubercles, arranged three and two, besides the very small rudimentary 

 thumb, which has no nail ; hind feet with five tubercles closely set, 

 and arranged two, two, and one. Teeth very similar to those of A. 

 arvalis, the molar pattern being — 



Upper I. — 5 prisms 6 angles. Lower I. — 9 prisms 3 angles. 

 ,, II.— 4 „ 5 „ „ II.— 5 „ 6 „ 



„ III.— 6 „ 7 „ „ III.— 3 „ 3 „ 



But the posterior prisms of the first and second upper molars are 

 dilated behind, and that of the third is produced behind its internal 

 projection. The first three prisms of the first lower molar are imper- 

 fectly separated. 



" Upper parts yellowish mouse-grey, the tips of the hairs being 

 either light fawn or black ; on the flanks this colour passes insensibly 

 into the greyish white of the lower parts, which is slightly washed 

 with yellow on the belly. Feet greyish white. Tail rather thinly clad 

 with short white hairs ; these are mixed on its upper surface with 

 dusky hairs, which are most conspicuous near the point. Measurements 

 (in spirits) : — 



Length of head and body ... 4 in. 4-25 in. 



tail -82 -77 



ear -40 -42 



„ hind foot -75 *75 



* < Turkestanski Jevotnie,' pp. 61, 82 ; Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 

 (4th ser.), voL xviii. p. 58. 



