1872.] 
W. T. Blanford — Zoology of Sikkim. 
37 
I have extracted the skull of an adult in spirit, proved to be full grown 
by the teeth and by the epiphyses of the limb bones being firmly united to 
the shafts by ossification. This skull measured only 1'45 in length and 07 
in breadth across the zygomatic arches ; the orbits are very small, the longi- 
tudinal diameter being 035", and the transverse 0‘2 8 inches only, lhe nasal 
bones are of equal breadth above throughout, and the anterior palatine 
openings broadly confluent behind. This skull agrees very well with the 
figure in Itoyle’s illustrations of the Botany, &c. of the Himalayas,* except that 
it is smaller and that the orbits appear rather shorter ; the general form is 
strikingly similar. The description of the skin of L. Boy lei both by Ogilby 
and Waterhouse ( Bodentia , p. 26,) agrees well with the Sikkim animal, 
except that the variety from the western Himalayas appears to be of 
somewhat larger size, but as all the dimensions appear to be taken from skins, 
they are of small value, and Jerdon’s measurements, which arc probably from 
fresh specimens, exceed mine by very little. The specimens in the Indian 
Museum also agree with those from Sikkim, except that the fur is much 
harsher, but it is difficult to say how far this is the result of preparation and 
of exposure. I am inclined to attach less value to it, because the different 
specimens in the Museum vary greatly in the softness of the fur. 
But I am also persuaded that the Sikkim species must be Hodgson s 
Lagomys Curzonice. The description agrees very fairly, and the dimensions!" 
only slightly exceed thoso of my specimens, whilst they agree with Jerdon s 
dimensions of L. Boylei. It is true that Hodgson does not mention the 
black tips to the hairs, but as he uses the somewhat indefinite expression 
“ murine fulvous” for the colour, I can only suppose that there were probably 
dark tips. Hodgson’s specimens were said to come from the Chumbi valley. 
Now I found Lagomys Boylei along the west slope of the range separating 
Sikkim from Chumbi, in climates as different, and places as far apart as 
Chola and the upper Laehung valley, and it is very surprising, if a different 
species inhabits the other side of the range. 
My friend Dr. Stoliczka has described a very distinct species+ from Ladak 
as Lagomys Gurzonia, J. A. S. B„ Pt. II, pp. 108-111. I believe that this 
* The type of Ogilby’s L. Roylei, but namod L. alpirms in the plate ; comp. Eoyle’s 
lllust. p. lxix. The coloration of the animal in this plate is very moorrect. 
f The length of the palma and nails ono-eighth inch must be a misprint, and it 
is evident that all the measurements have been taken from a skin, so that they are 
approximations. 
t [I do not think that there is sufficient evidence for this statement. On compar- 
ing Hodgson’s description of L. Nipalensis with that of Curzonim, the differences 
between the two can be noticed with little difficulty. The size of Cwrzonim varies 
greatly, many specimens equalling Nipalensis in size, but the fur is very distinct. 
Hodgson’s description of Curzonice appears to me rather to apply to the species which 
I have ro-desoribed under the same name, than to Roylei. — F. Stoliczka]. 
