52 



SECOND YARKAND MISSION. 



zygomatic arches when viewed from above or below are curved inwards, and the breadth 

 across them is greatest at the origin of the zygomatic process of the squamosal, and consider- 

 ably less across the malars. The upper surface of the skull is moderately convex, the frontal 

 and nasal portion almost straight. The interparietal extends nearly the whole width of the 

 skull and is pointed at both extremities, its greatest length (antero-posterior diameter) is 

 more than one-third its breadth. The anterior palatine foramina are large and nearly of equal 

 breadth throughout, and they terminate posteriorly behind the line joining the anterior ex- 

 tremities of the molar teeth. The posterior termination of the palate is regularly concave, 

 the pterygoids short, thickened, nearly parallel, rather far apart, and not divergent posteriorly. 

 The teeth present no peculiarities worthy of notice. The following are dimensions of the 

 skull :— 





Metre. 



Inch. 



Lenarth from occipital plane to end of nasal bones .... 



. -023 



•92 



Breadth across posterior termination of zygomata . , . . 



. -012 



•48 



Do. of frontal region between orbits ...... 



. -0045 



•18 



Do. of interparietal ......... 



. -008 



•31 



Do. of muzzle in front of infra-orbital foramen .... 



. -004 



•17 



Length of suture between nasals ....... 



. -008 



•32 



Greatest height of skull ......... 



. -009 



•35 



Length of anterior palatine foramina ...... 



. -005 



•20 



Do. of bony palate from incisors to opening of posterior nares 



. -0095 



•38 



Do. of pterygoid bones . . . 



. -004 



•16 



Do. of row of upper molars ....... 



. -004 



•16 



Breadth of palate between anterior molars ..... 



. -003 



•11 



Length of mandible from condyle to symphysis .... 



. -0125 



•5 



Height of do. to coronoid process ...... 



. -006 



•25 



I am unable to identify this mouse with any known species. In the preliminary list of 

 Dr. Stoliczka's collections I referred it, with great doubt, to a species very imperfectly des- 

 cribed by Blyth 1 under the name of M. crassipes. The description was as follows : — 



Like the preceding (M. homourus), but with the tail ratber longer than the head and body; length 2£, 

 tail 2>\, hind foot | inch ; the feet particularly large and, like the tail, well furnished with coarse, short setae. 

 From Masuri. 



Mus homourus 2 is said to be coloured like 31. decumanus, but purer, rufescent brown 

 above and rufescent white below. 



The dimensions of M. crassipes correspond fairly with those of the mouse from Western 

 Tibet, but the main structural character of the former, the large feet, are wanting in the lat- 

 ter, and as I have received from Dr. Scully specimens of a large footed mouse obtained in 

 Nepal, agreeing better with Blyth's description, I consider the Tibetan species must be dis- 

 tinct. There is no specimen of M. crassipes in the Indian Museum, nor, so far as I am aware, 

 has the type been preserved. 



I regret that no figure of this species has been prepared. The peculiarities of the skull 

 may be easily understood by referring to the figure of that of M. pachycercus, PL X b, fig. 4, 

 4<a, 46. In M. sublimis the zygomatic arch viewed from above or below is concave posteriorly, 

 instead of straight, and the opening of the posterior nares is far broader, the posterior margin 

 of the palatines evenly rounded, and the pterygoids subparallel instead of divergent, and 

 somewhat thickened. The form of the pterygoids is peculiar and characteristic. 



1 J. A. S. B., 1859, xxviii, p. 295, note. See also Jerdou, Mam. lud., p. 204. 

 5 Hodgson, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist,, 1845, xv, p. 268, 



