| OCR Text |
Show 550 MR. O.THOMAS ON MAMMALS FROM NYASSALAND. [Nov. 1, known, and show such extremely slight differential characters, that it is at present almost impossible to say whether G. afer, Gray, G. montanus, Smith, G. leucoyaster, Peters, G. boehmi, Noack, and G. validus, Boc, are all or any of them worthy of specific distinction. Much larger series from different localities will be needed before it is possible accurately to work out this difficult group, and in the meanwhile I use the earliest name available. In any case these Nyassa specimens are so closely allied to the ordinary South African Gerbille that little doubt can exist as to their specific identity with it. 10. CRICETOMYS GAMBIANUS, Waterh. a, b. 2 yg. al. $ . 11. Mus RATTUS, var. a. Ad. sk. Milanji Plain, 4000 ft. 25/10/91. b-d. In al. One of the numerous brown tropical varieties of the common Mus rattus. 12. Mus DOLICHURUS, Smuts. a, b. Ad. and imm. sk. Zomba. 8/8/91. These specimens represent, of course, Peters's M. arborarius, which, as already mentioned \ I cannot distinguish specifically from M. dolichurus. As this long-tailed Tree-Mouse seems to be rare throughout its wide range, these examples are very welcome accessions to the Museum collection. 13. Mus NATALENSIS, A. Sm. a. Ad. sk. Zomba. 19/1/92. (?) b. Zomba. 17/9/91. c-e. 3 in. al. This appears to be the Mus microdon of Peters. 14. Mus MUSCULUS, L. a, b. 2 in al. The fur of these specimens is rather crisp and spiny, and it may be that when the musculus group is worked out in detail the South African form will require a distinct name. One of Sir Andrew Smith's specimens in the Museum is also similarly spiny, and belongs no doubt to the same race. All the essential characters, including the skull and teeth, are quite as in normal M. musculus. 15. Mus (LEGGADA) MINUTOIDES, A. Sm. a-e. 10 in al. These specimens represent, of course, Peters's Mus minimus synonymous, as I believe, with Smith's previously described species! 1 P. Z. S. 1891, p. 186. |
