42 



SECOND YARKAND MISSION. 



1852. According to Blasius 1 A. leucurus, Gerbe, is identical with A. nivalis, Martins, 

 {Hypudams alpinus, Wagner), so that those naturalists who do not consider that a name 

 need he altered if the same specific term, given previously, does not stand, may retain 

 Blyth's name for the present species. At the same time it is objectionahle, for this vole 

 cannot rightly be said to have a white tail. 



There is another species recently described by Severtzoff as A. leucura" from "Western 

 Turkestan ; the name of this form, if really distinct, will also, I think, require alteration. 



In general colouration and characters, length of tail and form of teeth, A. blythi is 

 very near A. mcmdarinus 3 from Chinese Mongolia ; but differs in its much larger ears, in 

 the tail not being so dark above, and slightly in the shape of the teeth. In A. mcmdarinus 

 the posterior portion of the last upper molar is shewn to be less developed, and the hind- 

 most inner salient angle much blunter ; the anterior inner angle of the first tooth in the 

 lower jaw is also less developed, and all the prisms of that tooth broader and thicker. 



The solitary skin referred to Arvicola roylei in the Asiatic Society's Museum has been 

 mislaid, and its identification, if it came from Pind Dadun Khan,* is very doubtful ; but 

 the species was described originally 5 as rufous-grey above and grey beneath ; and Jerdon 6 

 calls it ashy-brown above, pale brownish-ashy below. The second and third lower molars 

 are said to have three equal folds on each side; 7 whilst the hindmost upper molar is 

 described as elongate, narrow, with three slight folds on each side and an elongate lobe 

 behind. I have an Arvicola from Murree agreeing with the description of A. roylei in 

 external characters ; but the posterior upper molar has but two folds on each side. As, 

 however, there may be an error in the original description, I am not sure that the species 

 is really distinct. A species of Arvicola has been described by A. Milne-Edwards from 

 Eastern Tibet under the name of A. melanog aster* Another species is Neodon sikkimensis, 

 the genus Neodon, as was pointed out in a note to a preceding page, being founded upon 

 characters of no generic value. This species, though attributed to Hodgson, was never 

 described by him ; the genus was announced, but without any definite characters being 

 pointed out, by Horsfield, 9 and it appears to have been first definitely described in Jerdon's 

 Mammals of India. 10 



30. Arvicola stoliczkanus. PI. VIII, Eig 1 ; PI. X b, Eig 2. 



W. Blanf., J. A. S. B., 1875, xliv, Pt. 2, p. 107. 



A. supra late fusco-rufescens, sive sordide ferrugineus, subtus albus ; vellere molli, 

 longiusculo, ad basin schistaceo, palmis tetradactylis, plantis pentadactylis nudis brevibus, 

 tarsis subtus pilis indutis, auriculis parcis e vellere liaud emergentibus, rotundatis, caudd 



1 Archiv. f. Naturgesch. 1856, Pt. 1, p. 261. 



2 Turk. Jev. p. 82 ; Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 4, Vol. xviii, p. 52. 



3 A. Milne-Edwards, Recherehes Mamm, i., p. 129, PL XII, XIII. 



4 Blyth, Cat. Mam. Mus. As. Soc. p. 125. 



5 Gray, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1842, x, p. 265. 



6 Mam., p. 216. 

 1 Gray, 1. c. 



8 Rech. Mamm., p. 284, PI. XLIV, XL VI a. 

 y Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist,, Ser. 2, iii, p. 203. 



