28 SECOND YABKAND MISSION. 



skull from Eastern Turkestan the length of the flesh-tooth exceeds the breadth of the hinder 

 molar, but the latter is scarcely concave on its outer edge ; and in its general form, especially 

 in its inner portion considerably exceeding the outer portion in antero-posterior diameter, it 

 approaches M. abietum. 



The following are the dimensions of this skull (a). As the animal is not quite mature, 

 the length of the adult skull would be rather more : — 





(a) 





to 



(d) 





Inches. 



Inches. 



Inches. 



Inches. 



Length from occipital plane to end of premaxillaries 



3-15 



3-2 



3-3 



3-15 



Breadth across hinder part of zygomatic arches 



1-85 



1-05 



2-05 



1'82 



„ behind post-orbital processes .... 



0-82 



0-71 



0-77 



0-75 



„ of brain-pan at pos teriortermination of zygomatic 











processes of squamosals ..... 



1-45 



1-47 



1-45 



1-39 



Length of upper flesh-tooth along outer edge 



0-37 



0-36 



0-38 



0-34 



Breadth of upper hinder molar . 



0-33 



0-33 



0-32 



0-31 



Length of mandible from angle to symphysis . 



1-95 



2-05 



2-15 



1-93 





0-85 



0-88 



0-9 



0-9 



It should be repeated that this is the skull of an animal that has in all probability been 

 kept in confinement. Some of the bones are injured, the injuries having apparently been 

 produced during life. 



The measurements marked (b) are those of the skull from Cabul already mentioned. 

 The teeth resemble those in the Turkestan skull. To the measurement (c) I shall revert 

 presently. Those under (d) are of a European skull of M.foina. 



The differences from M. foina have been already pointed out, but there are two Asiatic 

 martens to which the present form is allied, and it is as well to show why it does not appear 

 to belong to either. Both, it should be premised, have been very imperfectly described. 



The first, to which I was for some time inclined to refer this animal, is M. toufcea, 

 Hodgson.' This is described from imperfect skins, brought from Tibet, without tails or skulls. 

 The fur is said to be rich and soft, the " general colour smoky-brown, darker along the 

 spine and on the limbs, but without marks, and paled to sordid yellowish hoary on the neck 

 and head ; head palest, except the mystaceal region and chin, which are embrowned ; 

 moustache moderate and dark brown. There are no rings on the inner or outer 

 piles, which have both the smoky-brown hue of the exterior, only paler at the roots." 



The last character appears to distinguish M. toufcea from the Turkestan marten, in which 

 the very much paler colour of the underfur is a conspicuous character. I possess a speci- 

 men of a marten procured by Mr. Mandelli from Sikkim, and probably brought from Tibet. 

 This marten agrees with Mr. Hodgson's description in the colouration of the fur, but it has 

 the whole of the chin and breast white, whilst the chin in M. toufcea is said to be 

 embrowned, and no mention is made of white on the throat or breast. The middle of the back, 

 too, is not darker, as it is said to be in Mr. Hodgson's description. 



In the Indian Museum are three stuffed specimens received from the Asiatic Society's col- 

 lection, and identified with M. toufcea by Mr. Blyth. 2 They are labelled Tibet, and were pre- 

 sented by Mr. G. T. Lushington in 1845. As Mr. Lushington lived at Almora, it is almost 

 certain that these skins came from Western Tibet. They are very light brown in colour on the 

 head and body, the feet and tails being dark brown. The underfur is pink ; it may perhaps 



1 J. A. S. B., 1842, xi, p. 281. 



2 Cat. Main. Mus. As. Soc. No. 194, p. 66. 



