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Show 1 9 0 5 .] MAMMALS OF CHINA. 3 9 7 Skull. Greatest length 27 mm. ; palatilar length 12 ; diastema 8 ; length of incisive foramina 6 ; length of nasals 10 ; interorbital breadth 4 ; breadth of brain-case 11 ; length of molar series (alveoli) 4. Habited. The type comes from near the Corean border of Manchuria. The British Museum contains a further specimen from S. Shensi procured by P6re David, which has been referred to this race. M icrom ys a g r a r iu s n ing po en sis Swinh. Mus ningpoensis Swinh. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 637 et 1872, p. 818. Mus harti Thos. P. Z. S. 1898, p. 774. Very similar to M. a. manchuricus, but lacking the rufous tinge on the back, which in the present species is replaced by fulvous. General colour above fulvous throughout, uniformly grizzled with black. In some cases a well-defined dark stripe is apparent down the back, and in most specimens a trace of a dark stripe is discernible. Under parts white, sharply defined from the colour of the upper parts. Tail brown above, lighter below, and covered with short hairs. The skull does not appreciably differ from that of M. agrarius typicus. Dimensions (of type converted from inches given in Swinhoe's description). Head and body 81 mm. ; tail 68 ; hind foot (measured from type) 20. Another example, 3 (in flesh, coll. E. B. Howell, no. 69). Head and body 111 mm. ; tail 78; hind foot 20 ; ear 14. Skull. Greatest length 26 mm.; basilar length 21*5; palatilar length 11 ; diastema 7; length of incisive foramina 5 ; length of nasals 10; zygomatic breadth 12; inter orbital breadth 4*7; breadth of brain-case 11*5 ; length of molar series 4. Type. Collected by Mr. Swinhoe. Now in the Berlin Museum. Habitat. Ningpo. The British Museum contains specimens also from Nankin, Hanchow, and Kuatun. I have had to sink, under Swinhoe's name, Mr. Thomas's Mus liarti, as there can be no doubt as to its identity with ningpoensis. Since the description of Mus harti was written, a fine series has been received from the neighbourhood of Nankin, collected by Mr. Howell. It appears that although the dorsal stripe is as a rule faint and indistinct, it is in some cases deep black and very well marked, while in other individuals no trace of it can be found. Herr Matschie (in litt.) states that in the type of ningpoensis there is no trace of the dorsal stripe, and the same is the case with the type of M. harti. Little is known of its habits; Mr. Howell seems to have trapped most of his specimens on open ground in the vicinity of water. |
