52 
SECOND YARKAND MISSION. 
zygomatic arches when viewed from above or below are curved inwards, and the breadth 
across them is greatest at the origin of the zygomatic process of the squamosal, and consider¬ 
ably less across the malars. The upper surface of the skull is moderately convex, the frontal 
and nasal portion almost straight. The interparietal extends nearly the whole width of the 
skull and is pointed at both extremities, its greatest length (antero-posterior diameter) is 
more than one-third its breadth. .The anterior palatine foramina are large and nearly of equal 
breadth throughout, and they terminate posteriorly behind the line joining the anterior ex¬ 
tremities of the molar teeth. The posterior termination of the palate is regularly concave, 
the pterygoids short, thickened, nearly parallel, rather far apart, and not divergent posteriorly. 
The teeth present no peculiarities worthy of notice. The following are dimensions of the 
skull:— 
Metre. 
Inch 
Length from occipital plane to end of nasal bones 
. 
. -023 
•92 
Breadth across posterior termination of zygomata 
. -012 
•48 
Do. of frontal region between orbits . . . 
■ » . 
. -0045 
•18 
Do. of interparietal ...... 
. , 
. -008 
•31 
Do. of muzzle in front of infra-orbital foramen . 
• 4 « 
. -004 
T7 
Length of suture between nasals .... 
• • • 
. *008 
•32 
Greatest height of skull ...... 
. -009 
•35 
Length of anterior palatine foramina 
• . • 
. -005 
•20 
Do. of bony palate from incisors to opening of posterior nares 
. -0095 
•38 
Do. of pterygoid bones ..... 
• • • 
. -004 
T6 
Do. of row of upper molars .... 
. • 
. -004 
•16 
Breadth of palate between anterior molars 
- ■ • 
. -003 
•1L 
Length of mandible from condyle to symphysis 
4 • 4 
. -0125 
'5 
Height of do. to coronoid process. 
. 
. -006 
•25 
I am unable to identify this mouse with any known species. In the preliminary list of 
Dr. Stoliczka’s collections I referred it, with great doubt, to a species very imperfectly des¬ 
cribed by Blyth 1 2 under the name of M. crassipes. The description was as follows :— 
Like the preceding- (M . homourus), but with the tail rather longer than the head and body ; length 2§, 
tail 3j, hind foot | inch; tire feet particularly large and, like the tail, well furnished with coarse, short setae. 
From Masuri. 
Mus liomourus* is said to be coloured like M. decumanus , but purer, rufescent brown 
above and rufescent white below. 
The dimensions of M. crassipes correspond fairly with those of the mouse from Western 
Tibet, but the main structural character of the former, the large feet, are wanting in the lat¬ 
ter, and as I have received from Dr. Scully specimens of a large footed mouse obtained in 
Nepal, agreeing better with Blyth’s description, I consider the Tibetan species must be dis¬ 
tinct. There is no specimen of M. crassipes in the Indian Museum, nor, so far as I am aware, 
has the type been preserved. 
I regret that no figure of this species has been prepared. The peculiarities of the skull 
may be easily understood by referring to the figure of that of M. pachycercus , PI. X b, fig. 4, 
4a, 4 J). In M. sublimis the zygomatic arch viewed from above or below is concave posteriorly, 
instead of straight, and the opening of the posterior nares is far broader, the posterior margin 
of the palatines evenly rounded, and the pterygoids subparallel instead of divergent, and 
somewhat thickened. The form of the pterygoids is peculiar and characteristic. 
1 J. A. S. B., 1859, xxviii, p. 295, note. See also Jerdon, Mam. Ind., p. 204. 
2 Hodgson, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1845, xv, p. 268, 
