MAMMALIA. 



35 



differences. The skin too differs much in colour, being far greyer, and the tail is considerably 

 shorter. Some other sj^ecimens have since been obtained in Calcutta, and I have seen a 

 living animal in captivity at Darjiling. Singularly enough, out of 6 specimens known to 

 me, and 1 that I have personally examined, not one was wild, — all had been kept in confine- 

 ment. Still as all agree well in characters, there can be no question that the species is 

 well marked and distinct. 1 



A. baibacinus, Brandt, is a very much smaller animal, the skull measuring only 43 

 millemetres, 2 and it has a short tail like A. himalayanus, not more than a quarter the length 

 of the body. 



The skull of A. aureus, though very much smaller, approaches that of A. caudatus more 

 nearly than any of the other Himalayan marmots. The zygomatic arch in the latter, how- 

 ever, is nearly twice as deep and convex below, whilst that in A. aureus is nearly straight, and 

 the nasal bones are broader behind in A . caudatus. The pterygoids are very differently 

 shaped in the two species. The following are the dimensions of an adult skull of A. aureus : — 





Metre. 



Indies. 



Length from occipital plane to anterior end of nasals . 



. -094- 



3-7 



Breadth across widest part of zygomatic arches 



. -057 



2-25 



Do. behind postorbital processes .... 



. -017 



0-65 



Length of nasal bones ....... 



. -038 



1-5 



Breadth of do. in front ...... 



. -0165 



064 



Do. do. behind ...... 



. -0105 



0-42 



Length of molars in upper jaw taken together 



. -020 



0-82 



Length of lower jaw from angle to symphysis 



. -066 



2-6 



Height of do. at coronoid process .... 



. -035 



1-4 



I learn from Captain Trotter that A. aureus was seen abundantly on the return journey 

 from the Pamir to Yarkand in May about the Kaskasu and Torat passes, at an elevation of 

 11,000 to 13,000 feet. On the outward journey towards the end of March, none had yet 

 come out of their holes. 



The species identified with A. caudatus by Severtzoff can, I think, scarcely be that 

 species, and the very few characters given agree with A. aureus. The animal is said to have 

 been "yellow with fine black, longer hair, the head was darker and blackish." Length from 

 the tip of the nose to the root of the tail 11 inches 2 lines, tail 8 inches 5 lines. This is 



1 For a dissertation on the species of marmot inhabiting the Himalaya, Tibet, and adjoining regions, see J. A. S. B., 1875, vol. 

 xliv, Ft. 2, p. 113. I have there shown that independently ol A. aureus, and of A. dichrous (Anderson, Ann, Mag. Nat. Hist., October, 

 1875, Ser. 4, vol. xvi, p. 283, three species inhabit the Himalayas or Tibet, viz., A. caudatus, A. himalayanus, and A. hemachalanus. 

 Dr. Sclater has since pointed out to me that the two last names are, in fact, identical, and that consequently one must be changed. 

 I would gladly retain A. hemachalanus and alter A. himalayanus, as was proposed by Hodgson himself , to A tibetensis ; but I tear 

 this would be opposed to the laws of nomenclature, as A. himalaya nus was the name first given, and moreover it would lead to confu- 

 sion, for the name A. tibetanus has been adopted in the British Museum for A. hemachalanus. On the other hand, to follow the 

 British Museum nomenclature would be ridiculous, for A. himalayanus is the Tibetan species, and is the original tibetensis of 

 Hodgson, not A. hemachalanus. Under these circumstances, I see no other resource than to propose a new name for A. hemacha- 

 lanus, and I think it should be called after its discoverer. The synonymy would then stand thus : 



A. HODGSONI. 



A. hemachalanus, Hodgson, J. A. S. B., 1843, xii, p. 410. 



" A. tibetanus Hodgs." Gray, Cat, Mam. Birds Nepal, p. 24(1846); 2nd edition, p. 12, (1863), nec A. tibetensis, Hodgs. 



J. A. S. B., 1843, xii, p. 409. 

 " A. bobac, Schreb." partira, Blyth, Cat. Mam. Mus. As. Soc, p. 108 (1863), nec Schreber. 



"A. hemachalanus, Hodgson," Jerdon, Mam. Ind., p. 182 (1867). W. Blanf., J. A. S. B., 1875, xliv, Pt, 2, p. 122. 



2 A. Milne Edwards. Rech. Mam., p. 312. 



