MAMMALIA. 
35 
differences. The skin too differs much in colour, being far greyer, and the tail is considerably 
shorter. Some other specimens 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 4 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 :— 
Length, from occipital plane to anterior end of nasals 
Metre. 
. -094 
Inches. 
3-7 
Breadth across widest part of zygomatic arches . 
. -057 
2-35 
Do. behind postorbital processes .... 
. -017 
0-65 
Length of nasal hones ....... 
. -038 
1-5 
Breadth of do. in front ...... 
. -0165 
0-64 
Do. do. behind ...... 
* 
. -0105 
0-42 
Length of molars in upper jaw taken together 
. -020 
082 
Length of lower jaw from angle to symphysis 
. -066 
2-6 
Height of do. at coronoicl 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 Seyertzoff 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 14 inches 2 lines, tail 8 inches 5 lines. This is 
1 Eor a dissertation on the species of marmot inhabiting the Himalaya, Tibet, and adjoining regions, see J. A. S. B., 1875, vol. 
xliv, Pt. 2, p. 113. I have there shown that independently of 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 fear 
this would he opposed to the laws of nomenclature, as A. himalayanus 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 he 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 he 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.” partim, Blyth, Cat. Mam. Mus. As. Soc., p. 108 (1863), nec Schreher. 
“ 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, Bech. Mam., p. 312. 
