16 



SECOND YARKAND MISSION. 



Erinaceus albulus is a very near ally of E. auritus, the species inhabiting Eastern Europe 

 and Northern Asia; indeed so close is it, that, as Dr. Anderson has pointed out to me, there 

 is no external character by which dried specimens, at all events, can be distinguished. All the 

 teeth of E. auritus are, however, very much smaller, and although the general outline of the 

 skull is similar, that of E. albulus is larger ; the occipital portion is differently shaped, and 

 there are several minor differences. The only specimen of E. auritus for comparison in the 

 Indian Museum is from the Volga, and it is far from improbable that other specimens from 

 further east may show a passage into E. albulus. 



Family— S0R10IDM 



8. Soeex (Crocidura) Myoides. PL I, fig. 1, and PI. Ia, fig. 2. 



W. Blanf., J. A. S. B., 1875, xliv, Pt. %, p. 106. 



S. (Crocidura) parvus, murinus, subtus albescens, pedibus albidis, pilis brevibus, sparsis 

 indutus, caudd supra fused, subtus albescente, setis brevissimis confertim annulatd, pilis 

 longiusculis hie inde instructd, auriculis mediocribus, rostro subtus albido. Long, corporis 

 cum capite 21, cauda? 1 5, pedis posterior 'is cum tarso 0 5, auris 0' 22 poll. angl. 



1 $ , in spirit, from Leh, in Ladak. 



Mouse-brown above, white below, the fur being slaty at the base throughout ; muzzle with 

 numerous whiskers (vibrissa), the uppermost of which are brown, the lower white ; the longest 

 about three-quarters of an inch; lower surface of muzzle and chin white, with a few long 

 hairs. Ears moderate, rounded, about as broad as they are high, almost naked. No lateral- 

 glands. Eore-feet whitish, thinly clad, with white hairs above. External surface of thigh 

 and tarsus brown, inner surface whitish; lower part of thigh and tarsus very thinly clad; soles 

 of feet naked, light brown. Tail about two-thirds the length of the head and body, moder- 

 ately thick, with very close rings of short hairs, and a few scattered longer hairs. 



The following dimensions, especially those of the ear, being from a specimen preserved 

 in spirit, are somewhat less than they would be in a living animal : — 



Inches. 



Whole length from nose to end of tail . . . . . . . 3'6 



Tail from anus ........... 1'5 



Height of ear from orifice . . , 0*23 



Breadth of ear-conch 0*22 



Longest whisker ........... 0*73 



Length of fore foot (palma) . . . . . . . . .0*35 



Do. of hind foot (planta) 0*5 



Teeth 28 —i c~ m J 1 . The posterior process of each upper central incisor is 



2 1 — 1 % — 4 



about the same size as the canine. The second incisor from the middle is about three times the 



