1854.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. 733 



various classes, of species either quite new to the museum, or hitherto 

 imperfectly represented in our collections. 



Among the mammalia, is a fine skin of the Indian Wolf, Canis pallipes, 

 Sykes :* some good Bats in spirit ; comprising Rhtnolophus minor (P), 

 Horsfield (v. lepidus, nobis, passim, vide J. A. S. XXI, 347); Hippo- 

 sideros cineraceus, nobis, J. A. S. XXII, 410; Myotis pallidiven- 

 tris, (Hodgson), vide J. A. S. XXII, 581), from Kashmir; Lasiurus 

 Pearsoni, Horsfield {Vesp. lasyura, Hodgson), from the vicinity of Darji- 

 ling; and others: skull of Erinaceus collaris, Gray (vide J. A. S. 

 XXII, 582).f Specimen of Soriculus nigrescens, (Gray, v. Sorex sihim- 

 mensis, Hodgson) : X Gerbillus indicus, fromMonghyr; Mus gerbil- 

 linus, nobis, J. A. S. XXII, 410 (to which M. Theobaldi, nobis, XXII, 

 583, must be referred as a synonyme) ; M. oleraceus, Sykes (or a nearly 

 affined species, perhaps M. dumeticola, Hodgson, if not also M. po- 

 vensis, Hodgson, Ann. Mag. N. H., XV, 268-9, — merely differing from 

 M. oleraceus of S. India and also of Asarn by having the upper-parts 

 less brightly coloured, — length of male 3^ in. ; tail 4f in. ; planta f in.) ; 



* The Society's museum now contains good and characteristic examples of the 

 skulls of the European, Indian, and Tibetan Wolves (Cants lupus, L., C. pal- 

 lips, Sykes, and Canis-jLm/;ms-laniger, Hodgson) ; and the specifical distinctions 

 appear to be well marked. The European is the largest of the three, with pro- 

 portionally much larger and more powerful teeth, and the orbital process of the 

 frontal bone is much less developed than in the others, as likewise the lamdoidal and 

 sagittal crests. The Indian and Tibetan are more nearly affined than either is to 

 the European. 



f The E. micropus, nobis, /. c, has since been designated E. nudiventer by 

 Dr. Horsfield, in his catalogue of the specimens of mammalia in the India-house 

 museum (1851). 



% This species was long ago sent from Nepal, by Mr. Hodgson, to the museum 

 of this Society, and also (it would appear) to the British Museum, by the name 

 Sorex soccatus ; which Dr. Gray consequently cites as a synonyme : and as 

 another synonyme he correctly gives &. aterrimus, mentioned /. A. 8. XII, 128 : 

 but Mr. Hodgson has since described a very different species r appertaining to a 

 different group of Shrews, by the name S. soccatus, and to which it is more 

 intelligibly applicable. Of his specimen sent to this museum by that name, and 

 also of the identical specimen on which we had previously bestowed the M. S. 

 name aterrimus, we still possess the skulls. The dentition is that of Crossopus, 

 and not of Corsira (to which group Dr. Gray assigns the species) ; but this 

 common little Sikim Shrew does not exhibit the modifications for aquatic habits 

 which are characteristic of Crossopus, Wagler. 



