OCR Text |
Show 1877.] THE MAMMALS OF ASIA MINOR. 281 This Hamster, which is rare in collections, was discovered in the Caucasus by Menetries. It has since been found in Persia by De Filippi, and in Bulgaria by Mr. T. E. Buckley, as recorded by Prof. Newton, who gives a very good figure of the animal *-. 35. CRICETUS ACCEDULA (Pall.). Examples of this species were sent home by Messrs. Dickson and Ross from Erzeroom, with the observation that the species is there " very common. The eyes are large and black ; cheek-pouches spacious, extending from the angles of the mouth to the back of the head, a little beyond the ear. It is one of our domestic mice. In winter it is sometimes found on the snow; its fur is then silky and glossy "2. Apparently this is the Cara-guz (" black-eyes"), which Mr. Curzon describes as a grey animal, the size and shape of a young Guineapig. 36. *SPALAX TYPHLUS, Pall. Kior Sytchan (blind rat). Common in many places, as has been recorded by Ainsworth and by Dickson and Ross. [? ALACTAGA DECUMANA (Licht.). A Jerboa, mentioned by both Herr Kotschy and Mr. Curzon, but not met with by Danford, may probably prove to belong to this species.] 37. *HYSTRIX CRISTATUS, Linn. Kipri. Common in the Taurus, at various elevations, from the plain to 5000 feet. Danford trapped one among the rocks near Zebil, in the Bulgar Dagh, and frequently observed traces of them near Smyrna, and in the island of Rhodes. 38. *LEPUS SYRIACUS, Hempr. & Ehrenb. Tauochan. Common everywhere on the coast districts, but not met with by Danford in the barren interior. It ranges in the Taurus from the sea-level to about 5000 feet. Two specimens shot in the latter district agree well with the original description in the ' Symbolae Physicae.' The underwool of the flanks is exactly as there described; but that of the back is pure white, and the fur round the rump is almost pure grey, the hairs being dusky, with white tips, but with no rufous band. These differences appear to us to be probably owing to difference of climate, the specimens having been obtained in winter. According to Canon Tristram, this is the only Hare found in the greater part of Palestine, except in the south and south-east, where it is replaced by L. sinaiticus, H. & E., and L. cegyptiacus, Geoffr. 1 P. Z. S. 1870, p. 331, pl. xxvi. 2 P. Z. S. 1839, p. 122. |