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Show 546 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE [May 3, position. The type, and only known specimen, was obtained at Tankse, Pankong Lake, Ladak, at a height of 13,000 feet. 12. MUS BACTRIANUS. *i¥. bactrianus, Blyth, J. A. S.B. xv. p. 140 (1846); Blanford, Zool. East Pers. i. p. 56, pi. v. fig. 2 (1876) ; Danf. & Alst. P. Z. S. 1880, p. 61. M. gerbillinus, Blyth, J. A . S. B. xxii. p. 410 (1853) ; Cat Mus. As. Soc. p. 119 (1863). M. theoBaldi, Blyth, J. A. S. B. xxii. p. 583 (1853). HaB. N.W. India and Cashmere, and westwards to the Euphrates (Danford and Alston) ; Palestine (Brit. Mus., Tristram) ; Muscat, Arabia (Blanford). Fur rather short and crisp ; above sandy fawn, the bases of the hairs slate-colour ; below usually pure white, but with sometimes a slight basal tinge of slate, especially in immature specimens. Ears rather shorter than in M. urBanus, covered inside and out with sandy-brown hairs. Tail about the length of the head and body, or as a rule rather longer, brown above and white beneath, the difference, however, not being strongly marked. Caecum simple, about 0*7 inch long. Mammae 10, three pectoral and two inguinal pairs. The type has a more reddish coloration than usual on the upper side; but otherwise it is similar to Persian and Syrian specimens. The skull presents no characters worthy of remark, being almost exactly like that of Mus musculus. In immature specimens it is much more convex above than it is later, and the nasal region is shorter. Dimensions. Baluchistan. a. cj\ Head and body 3*4* Tail 3*55 Hind foot *75 Tibia2 -92 Forearm and hand *90 Ear-conch, length *47 Muzzle to ear This species is always readily distinguishable from other Indian Mice by its pale colour and white belly. It would appear to be a true desert form, having the coloration peculiar to the inhabitants of sandy plains and being found only in districts where such plains form a large part of the country. Messrs. Danford and Alston (I. c.) give the dimensions of two spirit-specimens taken at Oroul on the Euphrates ; but I should imagine that there has been some misprint among the figures, as I Karachi. b. c3- 2*40 3-23 •66 •73 •73 •40 •70 Palestine. e. $. d. 2*70 2*90 •65 •75 •75 •45 •73 Sind. imm. <$• 2-0 2*45 •65 •63 •69 •34 •62 1 Skull extracted. 2 F r o m the upper side of the knee-joint to the sole. |