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Show 272 MESSRS. O. THOMAS AND H. SCHWANN ON [Apr. 18, A short table of comparative skull-measiirements will serve to show the distinctness of the Zululand form, while the Namaqua-land race may be distinguished at once by the great size of the ears. Specimen from Type of Deelfontein, Type of L. s. megalotis. B.M. no. 3.3.6.11. L. s. zuluensis. mm. mm. mm. Greatest length....................... 102 103 91 Basilar length ....................... 77-5 79 70 Zygomatic breadth ............... 44 45-5 42 Nasals, oblique length........... 43-5 44 40 ,, greatest breadth....... 23 23-4 21 Interorbital breadth, inside wings................................... 21 20 17-5 Breadth of brain-case........... 33 33 29-5 Diastema ............................... 30 30 25-5 Palate length ....................... 37-5 38 34 Palatal foramina ................... 27x 12 27-5 x 10 24-5 x 11 Length of cheek tooth-series . 16 17 15-5 Antero-posterior diameter of bulla ................................... 12 13 1 1 It is perhaps worth mentioning that in the type of L. s. megalotis the small posterior molar m3 is wanting on both sides of the upper jaw. This abnormality occurs, according to the observations of Dr. Forsyth Major, more frequently in Hares of this species than in any other. " Zulu name, ‘Gvvaja.' Rather scarce, owing to the continuous persecution of the natives with traps and snares."-C. H. B. G. 41. P ronolagus ru d d i Thos. & Schw. Pronolagus ruddi Thos. & Schw. Abstr. P. Z. S. No. 18, p. 23, April 25, 1905. <5. 664. Sibudeni. This fine Hare, which we have named in honour of Mr. Rudd, has a somewhat complicated history, owing to a confusion between it and the true P. crassicaudatus Geoff'. In 1832 the latter species was described on a specimen from " Port Natal " still in the Paris Museum. This typical specimen is mounted, and has its skull still in the skin, whence none of the successive Directors have thought fit to have it extracted. In 1853 the British Museum received from the Zoological Society's Museum a Pronolagus which was determined as P. crassicaudatus., and remained the only adult representative of the group until comparatively lately. It was therefore always treated as being the true crassicaudatus, as, for example, in Thomas's paper* describing Oryctolagus c. nyikce and curryi, where its hind foot and cranial lengths are quoted as being those of GeofFroy's animal. * Ann. Mag. N. H. (7) x. p 244 (1902). |
