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Show 142 MR. O. THOMAS ON THE [Feb. 20, 21. ISOMYS DORSALIS, A. Sm. a. Ad. sk. Zomba. 2/93. 22. CRICETOMYS GAMBIANUS, Waterh. a. Ad. sk. 3 . Zomba. o. Ad. sk. Zomba. 27/4/93. 23. LEPUS WHYTEI, sp. n. a. Ad. sk. 3. Mpimbi, Upper Shire. 4/93. b. Ad. sk. 2 • Palombi E., Shirwa Plain. 15/8/93. Type. c. Ad. sk. 2 • Zomba. 19/4/93. Size and general colour above nearly as in L. capensis, but the back is more uniformly grizzled and less mottled. Fur decidedly harsher than in that species. Forehead with a white spot. Ears comparatively short; their external band brown all along, with a whitish margin; their extreme tips only black. Nape bright rufous. Sides slightly more rufous than back, but not nearly so much as in L. capensis. Chin white. Chest rufous fawn, as are also the upper surfaces of the hind feet. External surface of fore limb, and line down hind leg, richer rufous. Tail rather short, black, more or less mixed with rufous fawn above, white below. Skull with a short muzzle, very broad proximally, narrow7 interorbital region, and narrow posterior narial fossa. Incisors broad, their groove close to their inner edge. Dimensions of the type, an adult skin, female:- Head and body 468 mm.; tail without hairs (c.) 47 ; ear, from notch, 88; hind foot, without claws, 95. Skull : basal length 68; basilar length 65-5; greatest breadth 42-5; nasals, greatest length 37, greatest breadth 18 ; interorbital breadth 16-2 ; intertemporal breadth 12-7 ; diastema 21*5 ; anterior palatine foramina, length 20*5, combined breadth at surface 9*2; width (antero-posterior) of palatal bridge 8*6 ; least breadth of posterior narial fossa 5. This Hare, which I have much pleasure in naming after Mr. Alexander Whyte, the able seconder of Mr. Johnston's efforts to investigate the fauna of Nyasa, is readily distinguishable from L. capensis by its harsher fur, rufous nape, shorter ears, feet, and tail, and somewhat different coloration. It is by no means improbable that the specimens from Angola which have been referred to " L. ochropus, Wagn.," really belong to L. whytei, but this point can only be determined later. The typical L. ochropus was described from the Cape itself, and, in agreement with Water-bouse, I can see no possible reason why it should not be looked upon as strictly synonymous with L. capensis. 24. PROCAVIA JOHNSTONI, sp. n. a. Ad. sk. 2 • Fort Lister, 3500 ft. 20/7/93. Type. b. Imm. sk. Fort Milanji. 27/7/93. |