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Show 800 MR. W. E. DE WINTON ON SOME RODENTS [Nov. 17 Size much less than M. murlnus. Colour above uniform grey the only marking being a black patch commencing among the whiskers and extending to the eye, and continuing on to the eyebrows ; the eyelids are black; the upper lips and cheeks white, this colour reaching to immediately beneath the eyes and ears ; all the underparts are white ; the under-fur above and below dark slate-colour; the hands and feet very small and slender, of not so pure a white as the belly; ears rather large, naked; tail sub-cylindrical, bicoloured, grey drab above and dirty white beneath, the hairs short near the base, very gradually lengthening till at the extremity they are 13 m m . in length ; the light hairs of the underside exceed those of the upperside in length and so form a pale margin. The much larger ears and less bushy tail distinguish this species at a glance from M. smlthl, Thos., besides the black marks on the cheeks and the greyer colour. As the tips of the hairs in this species are pale and colourless, and only the upper part of the tail shows any drab, it must be quite distinct from E. kellenl, Reuvens, as also for the same reason from E. parvus, True, with the addition that the under-fur of the cheeks and throat is dark slate-colour and not white. The ears are certainly not smaU for a Dormouse and there is no hair on them which is perceptible to the naked eye, so there is no colour on the borders which both these species are described as having. I may say that the measurement of the ear is taken from the notch, as in all specimens in this collection. Mr. Darling writes :-" I have been telling them (the natives) to get m e some more dormice, but they say all those animals are gone away: I know they are scarce, but I may be able to get some. One hut I had on a bushy hill, a little chap used to live inside, and come down quite close and watch m e reading as I lay in bed at night; if they eat insects he may possibly have come to catch them at the candle, but I never saw him do so." 2. GERBILLUS AFER, Gray. Eight specimens of both sexes and of various ages taken at Mazoe, Mashunaland, between the months of April and September, 1895. " Fairly common. Native name ' Bendy.' "-J. ff. B. Collector's measurements taken in the flesh, adult 6* '•-Head and body 155 m m . ; tail 166 ; hind foot 32 ; ear 20. This is a nice series, showing the various forms of colour from grey to foxy red. The bright colour on the cheeks and along the whole length of the body immediately above the white of the underparts makes its appearance at a very early age, but may not reach the dorsal region till long after the animal is full-grown and the teeth worn so as to show the complete pattern of the enamel of the first molars, and the animal has reared young ones; thus it seems probable that many never assume the red colouring at all, as tbere are specimens almost black on the back with well- |
