Horváth Géza (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 24. (Budapest 1926)

Éhik, Gy.: Magyarország földipockai

mens in all, out of the contents of the stomach of owls and hawks. He adds also the data given by me at the same place about the localities wich are the following : Budapest, Budafok, Esztergom, Kécsa (Torontál c), Selmecbánya, Vinkovce, Gépin. I have to add that a skull fragment from Orarica (Árva c), marked as Microtus arvalis proved to be a Pitymys subterraneus at the revision. Specimens from the latter enumerated localities are in the Zoological Collection of the Hungarian National Museum. Brief historical sketch about the systematic position of the genus. The first species of the genus Pitymys has been described by LECONTE

1 in 1830 under the name of Psammomys pinetorum. In 1831, at the same time, the scientific world has been made attentive by Mc. MUETEIE 2 and by BONAPAETE

3 of the fact, that the name Psammomys is preoccupied and the former tried to introduce the name of Pitymys and the latter that of Ammomys into literature. Since we do not know which name is the earlier, and that of Pitymys has been adopted it is right if we use that denomination. As we see from the above facts, the type of the genus is the Pitymys pinetorum of North America. Since there are decided differences between the American and European species, I think it practical to group the American and European species into two separate subgenera, so that we keep the name of Pitymys for the American species, while we classify the European species under the denomination of Ammomys. The description of the subgenera is as follows: Subgenus Pitymys Mc MUETEIE. The front feet are much larger and the front legs shorter than in the true Microtus. The brain case is very broad and flat. Its species occur only in America. Subgenus Ammomys BONAPAETE. The front feet are nearly as large and the front legs nearly as short as in the true Microtus. The brain case is rather convex. They occur only in central and southern continental Europe. It was especially MILLEE who worked extensively in 1896 on the system of the Microtinae*. All special works published since that time adopt MILLEE'S system, without trying to adapt it to our actual knowledge. 1 Ann. Lyc. Nat. Hist. New-York. Ill, p. 132. 2 Am. ed. Cuvier's Règne Animal. I, p. 434. 8 Saggio Distrib. Metod. degli Anim. Vert. p. 20, footnote. 4 MLLER, G. S. : Genera and subgenera of voles and lemmings. North American Fauna No 12, 1896.