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Show 64 ON THE MAMMALS OF ASIA MINOR. [Feb. 3, This Vole differs from all others with which we are acquainted in the extreme shortness and peculiar colouring of the tail, and in the density of the hairiness of the soles. It would appear to be most nearly allied to A. arvalis, from which it is at once distinguishable by its proportions and by the number of plantar tubercules. In general appearance it bears a strong resemblance to A. stoliczkanus, Blanford, from Yarkand; but that animal has not only a wholly yellowish-white tail, but belongs probably to the subgenus Paludicola, Blasius, the first lower molar having only seven cemental prisms1. It seems not at all improbable, on the other hand, that our animal may be identical with the A. leucura of Dr. Severtzoff; his diagnosis is not impertinent, although he says that the tail is one fourth the length of the body, and white with a black tip2. But in any case his name cannot stand, being preoccupied by the A. leucurus of Gerbe 3, which Blasius and Fatio have united with the A. nivalis of Martins. We therefore propose to name our species in honour of our friend Dr. Gunther. 44. *SPALAX TYPHLUS, Pall. Kior-sytchan. D. & A., no. 36. [ALACTAGA DECUMANA (Licht.). D. & A., p. 281. The "Jerboa" of Herr Kotschy and Mr. Curzon, which we thought probably referable to this species, may have been Gerbillus erythrurus.1^ 45. *HYSTRIX CRISTATUS, Linn. Kipri. D. & A., no. 37. [LEPUS SYRIACUS, Hemp. & Ehrenb. D. & A., no. 38. As will be seen below, we believe we were in error in the determination of the Asia-Minor Hare]. 46. *fLEPUS EUROPCEUS, Pall. Tauochan. In our former notes we somewhat doubtfully identified two Hares shot in the Taurus with the L. syriacus of Hemprich and Ehrenberg ; but on examining more specimens, we find them to agree best with the East-European form named L. caspicus by the same writers. W e cannot find any characters, however, which would justify the specific separation of that race from the Common Hare; and we therefore follow Blasius in regarding it as a climatic variety of L. europceus. i Blanford, J. As. Soc. Beng. xii v. pt. 2, p. 107 (1875, descr. orig.); Second iarkand Mission, M a m m . p. 42, pl. viii. fig. 1, pl. x. B. fig. 2. 2 Turk. Jevot. p. 82; Ann. & Mag. N. H. (ser. 4), xviii' n 52 3 Rev. Zool. 1852, p. 260 (descr. orig.). |
