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Show 1 9 0 5 .] MAMMALS FROM ZULULAND. 2 5 9 Type. Male. B.M. no. 97.9.1.32. Original number 177. Collected 2 February, 1895, by Dr. C. I. Forsyth Major. This species is at once distinguishable from its mainland ally by its rich brown colour and differently shaped skull. 1 1 . M in io p t e r u s s c h r e ib e r s i Natt. d1. 921. Ngoye Hills. 12. A m b l y so m u s ir i s Thos. & Schw. Amblysomus iris Thos. & Schw. Abstr. P. Z. S, No. 18, p. 23, April 25, 1905. c? 873. 2 829. Umvolosi Station, 50 m. (?) $ 874. Umvolosi Station. In view of the considerable cranial and dental differences occurring between the different groups of the Ohrysochloridfe, we think it advisable to accept the subdivision of the old genus Chrysochloris into three, as proposed by Prof. Cope*. All the specimens as yet obtained by Mr. Grant belong to the genus Amblysomus (type A. hottentottus Smith), no members of the genera Chrysochloris (type C. asiatica Linn.) or Bematiscus (type B. villosus Smith) having fallen into his hands. With regard to the milk-dentition in this group, Dr. Leche has recently shown that the tooth-change takes places at an unusually late period of life, so that there is no cranial evidence of immaturity in specimens still retaining their milk-teeth. It is on account of this observation that we provisionally assign specimen no. 874 to the same species as 873 and 829, for while it shows no indication of youth the considerable difference between its teeth and those of the others might be explained by a difference of dentition +. But if this is the case, we practically have to assume that the whole of the Museum series of A. hottentottus are also in the milk-stage, for all have their teeth shaped as in 874 rather than as in 873 and 829. In support of this view, it should be noted that these two latter specimens are the only members of the genus which have their molars conspicuously more worn than the teeth anterior to them, thus showing that they at least have their permanent dentition. Taking into consideration only the two specimens which are undoubtedly adult, the species may be described as follows:- Size markedly smaller than in A. hottentottus, and the claws rather feebler. Nasal pad apparently as in that species. General colour smoky blackish, the hairs slaty at their bases, dark silvery * Amer. Nat. xxvi. p. 127 (1892). The new name founded by Cope, Bematiscus, has the unusual distinction of being omitted from Palmer's ‘ Index Generum Mammalium.' Nor is it included in Trouessart's Catalogue, and we owe a knowledge of its existence to our friend Dr. Forsyth Major. f W e have later found conclusive evidence that the broadly triangular premolars of No. 874, as figured in the Plate, are the milk-teeth. The British Museum has also since received from Mr. C. W . Turner a specimen of A. hottentottus with its permanent dentition in place.- 10 May, 1905. |