MAMMALIA. 



39 



In his paper on Lagomys curzonice Dr. Stoliczka 1 mentions that a marmot is found up 

 to 17,000 feet in Ladak. The species was probably A caudatus. 



Family — MURIDJE. 



29. Arvicola blythi. PI. VIII, fig. 2, PL Xb, fig. 1. 



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



Phaiomys leucums, Blyth, J. A. S. B., 1863, xxxii, p. 89.— Theobald, J. A. S. B., 1862, xxxi, p. 519; 

 nec Arvicola leucums, Gerbe. 



Arvicola fuscescenti-fulvus subtus isabellinus, caudd fulvd, quartern partem totius 

 longitudinis subceqitante vel excedente, auribus rotundatis mediocribus, sparsim pilosis, palmis 

 pentadactylis, ungue pollicari parvo obtuso, dentibus molariis similibus Us A. mandarini, 

 molario ultimo maxillari postice magis producto, angulo interno postico ejusdem acutiore, 

 dente anteriore mandibulari antice angulo fortiore interno munito. Long, sine caudd 4 — 4'5, 

 cauda 1'25 — 1'35, cranii 1, auris 0'4, plantcs 0 '8 poll. 



1, 2, 3, (2 skins and one specimen in spirit) Tankse, 13,000 feet ; 4, 5, (one skin and one specimen in spirit) Lukong 

 on the Pankong lake ; 6 (skin) unlabelled. 



I regret to be obliged to confer a new name upon this vole. I have gone through a 

 mass of literature relating to Arvicola, in the hopes of finding grounds for maintaining the 

 genus Phaiomys ; 2 but I do not think it can be upheld for the reasons given beneath, and if 

 it be, as I believe, identical with Arvicola, the name leucurus is forestalled. 



I will first give a somewhat fuller description of this species and its dentition, and 

 I will then proceed to the question of its general relations. 



General colour above yellowish-brown, below pale-isabelline (brownish- white). The fur 

 is soft and rather variable in length ; in two specimens (which are apparently acquiring the 

 winter coat) it is about 0*35 inch long on the middle of the back ; in two others it is nearly 

 half an inch long and softer ; the basal portion throughout, amounting to more than two- 

 thirds of the length on the upper surface, and about one-half on the lower, dark-slaty, uniform 

 in texture ; the tips of two kinds — the finer isabelline, the coarser and longer dark-brown, 

 almost black. Upper part of the head the same colour as the back, ears round, of moderate 

 size, thinly clad with pale-brown (isabelline) hairs inside, more thickly and with longer haiis 

 outside. Upper whiskers dark-brown, lower whitish, the longest nearly an inch in length. 

 Peet above the same colour as the abdomen ; soles naked ; claws compressed, horn-coloured ; 

 ungual phalanx short, furnished with a blunt compressed claw. Tail cylindrical, distinctly 

 ringed, covered with short light-brown hair, nearly the same colour as that of the lower parts. 



Dr. Stoliczka in his notes gives the following dimensions and particulars. 



" Its length is 4 inches, and the tail 1*35; ears round, very sparsely hairy inside; iris black, with an 

 outer blue ring ; nose black ; soles pale, fleshy brown." 



One of the specimens in spirit (the two are of precisely the same size) measures : — 



Inches. 



Length in a straight line from nose to insertion of tail . . . . 3*7 



Do. of tail 1-1 



Height of ear from orifice . . . . . . . . . 0*33 



Breadth of ditto 0*37 



Do. of fore-foot and claws ........ 0'45 



Length of tarsus, hind-foot and claws ....... 0'82 



1 J. A. S. B. xxxiv, 18G5, p. 111. 



2 If the genus be retained, it should be written Phaiomys. 



