No. 391 Arvicola Blanfordi. — The Gilgit Vole
Habitat.—Kashmir territory; Gilgit, at an elevation of 9000 to 10,000 feet.
Description.—Light greyish-brown above, slightly tinged with rufous; greyish-white underneath; fur soft, the basal three-fourths being slaty grey, the rest fawn colour, in some instances with black tips, the hairs of the under-parts being white tipped; ears moderately large, well above the fur, hairy; very long whiskers, chiefly white, a few brown; feet whitish, moderate size; tail cylindrical, not tapering, and well clad with hair, which project about a fifth of an inch beyond the end of the vertebræ.
Size.—Head and body, about 4½ inches; tail, 2 inches.
This vole was described by Dr. J. Scully in the ‘Annals and Magazine of Natural History,’ for November, 1880, vol. vi., and he named it after Mr. W. T. Blanford. It is said to be common on the mountains around Gilgit.
The next two species come under the section Paludicola.
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