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Show D. melanotis is easily distinguished from I). mesomelas by its grey colour and by the peculiar structure of its hind toes, first noticed by Sclater in his ‘ Fauna of South Africa' *. 21. M ystromys albtcaudatus fumosus, subsp. nov. c?. 685,705. Wakkerstroom. Similar to the typical subspecies, but larger and darker. General colour of the upper surface " mouse-grey" freely pencilled with black, flanks rather lighter. Individual hairs about 12 mm. long, basal four-fifths slate-grey, terminal fifth " olive-grey," tip black. General colour of under surface light grey, basal half of hairs dark slate-grey. Forehead, nape, and a ring round eyes strongly pencilled with black, lips and cheeks lighter; ears large, rounded, clothed inside with silvery hair, outside with a thick growth of very fine black hair. Fore and hind limbs slate-grey, the latter rather darker if anything ; fore and hind feet white above and below ; in the hind feet a naked line extends from the centre of the foot to the ankle-joint. Tail distinctly bicolor, dark grey above, pure white beneath, the line of demarcation very distinct. The skull, though younger than that of the type of albicaudatus, is considerably larger. Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh):- Head and body 161 mm. ; tail 78 ; hind foot 27 ; ear 25. Skull-greatest length 38 mm.; basilar length 31'5; interorbital breadth 4\5 ; zygomatic breadth 20-0 ; length of upper molar series 7. Hob. Wakkerstroom, Transvaal; alt. 1850 m. Type. <3 . B.M. No. 4.9.1.72. Collected 18 March, 1904. The type of M. albicaudatus Smith is of a light red colour, due most probably to fading f , and we therefore do not feel justified in distinguishing from that form the grey specimens from the Orange River Colony obtained by Capt. Barrett-Hamilton. " Not by any means common, apparently solitary and strictly nocturnal. It inhabits the stone walls of the farmlands and deserted burrows of Gerbillus. Cats will not eat this species, though they often kill it."- C. II. B. G. 22. L e p u s o c h r o p u s Wagn. S . 707, 708, 718, 719. 2 - 730. Wakkerstroom. These Hares, which appear to be confined to the high veldt, are easily distinguished from the low-ground capensis by their yellow nape and throat. * Vol. ii. p. 32-. t While grey does not appreciably alter under the influence of light, black and brown are peculiarly susceptible to changes, and it is the black ends to the hairs which we suppose to have faded in the type. (C'f. ‘ Zoologist, 1896, p. 406.) 1905.] FROM THE WAKKERSTROOM DISTRICT, TRANSVAAL. 137 |
