| OCR Text |
Show 396 MR. J. L. BONHOTE ON THE [Nov. 28, Habitat. Kuatun, N.W. Fokien. The typical series, all from Kuatun, are the only ones at present known. M icrom ys m in u tu s pygmyeus (A. M.-E.). Mus pygmceus A. M.-Edw. Recli. Mamm. p. 291, pi. xliii. fig. 1 (1874); Thos. P. Z. S. 1898, p. 775. Mus minutus pygmceus B.-Hamilton, Ann. & Mag. N. H. ser. 7, vol. iii. p. 343 (1899). This is the Chinese representative of our European Harvest- Mouse, from which it differs in its rather longer tail and darker colour. The general colour above is of a uniform olive-brown, rather more rufous on the liind-quarters. The under parts are greyish white. Hands and feet scantily clothed with brownish hair. Tail equal in length or longer than the head and body, clothed with minute and almost invisible set*. The skull, which is typical of the genue, has a moderately broad brain-case, but is rather short in the muzzle. The bullae are large for the size of the skull, and project sharply downwards, compressing the basioccipital at its anterior portion. Dimensions of a dried skin from Kuatun. Head and body 58 mm.; tail 61 ; hind foot 14*. Skull. Greatest length 19 mm. ; basilar length 17; palatilar length 8 ; diastema 5 ; length of incisive foramina 3'6 ; length of nasals 6 ; interorbital breadth 3'7 ; breadth of brain-case 9 ; length of molar series 3-8. Habitat. Sze-chuen. Specimens in the British Museum from Kuatun and Shanghai. Nothing further is known of the distribution or habits of this species. The Japanese Harvest-Mouse recently described by Mr. Thomas is more rufous and resembles the European one more closely than the Chinese. M icrom ys a g r a r iu s m a n c h u r ic u s (Thos.). Mus agrarius mantchuricus Thos. P. Z. S. 1898, p. 774. This is the Northern Chinese form of Mus agrarius, from typical examples of which it differs only to a slight extent. It is slightly larger and more rufous in its general tone of colour. The dark median dorsal stripe is black and ver y clear cut, and starting from the crown reaches to the root of the tail. Under parts grey with a tinge of rufous along the middle line. Tail dark brown above, lighter below, well covered with short hairs. The skull does not materially differ from that of M. agrarius typicus. Dimensions (of type after Tlios.). Head and body 116 mm.; tail 78 ; hind foot 19 ; ear 14. * The measurements of the type as given bv M. M.-Edwards are : head and body 73, tail 53, ear 5, hind foot 18; but on the discrepancies between the tail and hind-foot measurements see 0 . Thomas, Joe. cit. supra. |
