MAMMALIA. 



71 



is quoted with, as synonym, L. variabilis altaica, Everm. (sic.) ; and again, in Gray's notes on 

 the skulls of Hares, &c, in the British Museum, a Lepus altaicus, Brandt 1 is mentioned. 

 This is doubtless L. altaicus, Gray, of Fitzinger*. Neither writer gives any reference, and I 

 can find no description of the species by either Brandt or Gray. Waterhouse in his mamma- 

 lia 3 identifies the specimen thus named, which is said to be from the Altai mountains, with 

 L. hybridus, Desm. The specimen in the British Museum was from M. Brant's (? Brandt's) 

 collection, and the locality is therefore possibly correct, but I cannot but think that Water- 

 house's identification needs confirmation. 



Family— LAGOM YIDM. 



46. Lagomts ladacensis. PI. VI, fig. 1 ; PL VII,* fig. 2 ; PI. Vila, fig. 1. 



Gunther, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 4, xvi, p. 231.— W. Blanf. J.A.S.B., 1875, xliv, Pt. 2, p. 110. 

 Lagomys curzonice, Stoliczka, J.A.S.B., 1S65, xxxiv, Pt. 2, p. 108. — Anderson, P.Z.S., 1871, p. 562, 



nec Hodgson. 

 Zabra, Karin or Pkise harm, Ladak. 



L. major, pallide cervinus, seu rufescenti-fulvus, dorso in estate magis rufescente, 

 auriculis rotimdatis, majusculis, extus ferrugineis, velleris dorsalis dimidio basali nigrescenti- 

 plumbeo, apiciali primum rufescente, tunc demum albescenti-isabellino, pilis nomiullis 

 longioribus nigris ad dorsum intermixtis, ventre pedibusque pallide fulvis, capite antice 

 rufescente, vibrissis superioribus nigris, inferioribus albis. Long, iota circa 9, cranii 2' 25, 

 auricula? 1, tarsi 1 '5 poll. 



1, skin, Chagra, north of Pangong lake ; 2, 3, 4, skins, 5, skeleton, Rimdi, 17,000 feet; 6, skin, Kiziljilga, (both 

 the two last localities are on the high plateau north of Ladak) ; 7,8, skins without labels, probably from 

 Gogra, north of Rimdi. 



Some years ago, when describing the Lagomys from Upper Sikkim, 5 I pointed out that 

 it agreed much better with Mr. Hodgson's description of L. curzonice than did the Ladak 

 species referred to the latter by Dr. Stoliczka. Mr. Hodgson's types were presented to the 

 British Museum, and Dr. Gunther has recently examined them, and finding that my sugges- 

 tion was correct, and that the Ladak species is different, he has named the latter L. ladacensis. 



Dr. Stoliczka' s description Is excellent and is here copied. He states that it is founded 

 on four specimens, of three of which exact measurements are given : — 



" General hue of the upper body pale buffi, fulvous, with very slight rufous tint and tipped with dark 

 brown ; below whitish, with translucent dusky blue. The larger hairs of the fur measure about |th of an inch ; 

 the lower part, for more than half their length, of a dark, slaty -blue colour, with silky lustre ; the next portion 

 pale fulvous, and the tip dark-brown or black. The fur is full and very soft, as Hodgson remarks, and can be 

 readily distinguished from that of L. rufescens, Gray. Chiefly in old specimens, there are, on the sides 



1 Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1867, Ser. 3, sx, p. 223. 



2 Sitzb. K. Akad. Wiss. Wien. Math. Nat. CI., 1867, lvi, 1 Abt. p. 165. 



3 Rodentia, ii, p. 45. 



4 In plates VI, VII representing this species and Z. auritus, a mistake has been made. It was proposed to figure L. ladacensis 

 in summer and winter vesture, on PI. VI. The lower figure in PI. VI is L. ladacensis in winter dress, but is somewhat too dark ; 

 the upper figure is L. auritus. Figure 2, PI. VII, is L. ladacensis in summer dress. The colouration of both figures in Plate VI 

 is unsatisfactory, the lower figure should be much more buff, the upper figure browner and less yellow. 



i J.A.S.B., 1872, xli, p. 35. 



1 



