OCR Text |
Show 178 MR. OLDFIELD THOMAS ON [Feb. 20, 13. PROC A VIA (DENDROHYRAX) CRAWSHAYI, sp. n. a. d. Western slope of Mt. Kenya, 10,000 ft., 7 Sept., 1899. Type. [b. 2- Koromo, Kikuyu Porest, 7800 ft., 29 Nov., 1899. Collected and presented by Richard Crawshay, Esq.] Size and more essential characters very much as in P. valida True. Pur soft, close, and thick, the majority of the fine hairs about 30 m m . in length, though the scattered black ones are longer. General colour marbled greyish brown with a slight rufous or isabelline hue. Dorsal hairs slaty grey basally, gradually darkening to black at about three-fourths their length, then into a yellowish or isabelline subterminal band and a fine blackish point; the scattered longer hairs black from base to tip. Head coarsely grizzled grey, the grizzlings black and white, and therefore forming a true grey, very different to the dorsal colour. Hairs below base of ears dull whitish. Dorsal spot narrow, elongate, shining yellowish white; the hairs, which are 40-45 mm. in length, yellowish white to their bases. Under surface along middle line, from interramia backwards, fulvous or deep buffy, similar to but rather paler than the colour in P. valida ; but the chin and sides of neck are grey, not buffy, and the sides of the chest, the groins, and the inner sides of the limbs are whitish. Outer sides of limbs and upper surfaces of hands and feet like sides of body, not becoming black terminally. Skull very similar to that of P. valida and the other allied species. Dimensions of the type, measured in skin:-Head and body 460 mm.; hind foot 59. Skull (stage v.): basal length 79 ; greatest breadth 49*5. Skull of Mr. Crawshay's specimen (stage viii.) : basal length So ; greatest breadth 60 ; nasals 25 x 18 ; intertemporal breadth 26: diastema 15 ; length of molar series 33 ; greatest breadth of m.1 5*4. Type. Specimen a above. B.M. No. 0.2.1.41. This distinct species may be readily differentiated from the Kilima-njaro P. valida by its paler and more mottled colour, greyish bead, white dorsal spot, the white inner sides of the limbs, and different general colour. Tbe two East African species described by Dr. Matschie, P. stuhlmanni and P. scheelei, both have wholly white bellies. Just as the present collection was being examined the second specimen above mentioned (b) arrived from that generous contributor to our National Museum, Mr. Richard Crawshay, and I have therefore dedicated the species to him, Mr. Mackinder having already a member of the genus named in his honour. 14. NESOTRAGUS MOSCHATF/S v. Dub. a. Near Niana Hill, Ndoro district, Aug. 14, 1899. b. In forest at foot of Mt. Kenya, 27/8/99. |