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Show 1904.] SUBSPECIES OF GIRAFFA CAMELOPARDALIS. 201* absence of the marked lateral expansion of the premaxillary region characteristic of the Baringo Giraffe; the borders of these bones in the present form being nearly straight, instead of markedly bowed. Such appear to be the chief distinctive features of this Giraffe, so far as I a m enabled to formulate them from the specimens at present available. These comprise the skull, the mounted head and neck, several pieces of skin from the fore-quarters, and the mounted right fore-leg : all belonging to a fully adult bull shot by Major- P. H . G. Powell-Cotton, at the locality above mentioned, to the southward of Lado, in Northern Uganda, and by him presented to the British Museum, where the head and neck are now exhibited to the public. As already mentioned, the general characteristics of this Giraffe affiliate it very closely to G. c. rotkschildi. and I have experienced sonic difficuly in deciding whether or no it should be subspeci-fically separated from that form. Premising that m y comparisons are based only orr a single specimen, and are therefore of necessity somewhat provisional and liable to revision, I cannot identify the South Lado with the Baringo Giraffe; and I therefore propose to regard the former as the representative of a distinct local race. which may lie appropriately named after its enterprising dis coverer, Giraffa cameloparclcdis cottoni. Apart from the peculiarities of tlxe skull,-in regard to the importance, or otherwise, of which, I a m somewhat uncertain- I a m disposed to consider this Giraffe as a distinct race mainly from the general tone, form, and mode of arrangement of the spotting, laying special stress orr the absence of spots on the face above (or in front of) a line connecting the eye with the angle of the mouth, and also on the colour, size, and number of the spots on the nape of tlxe neck and on the fore-limb. It, is true that as regards the absence of spotting on the frontonasal region of the face, this feature is paralleled in the mounted head of G. c. rothsckildi obtained by Sir- H . Johnston near Mount Elgon. That head (text-fig. 26, p. 211), as mentioned below, belongs, however, to a very old animal, and is remarkable for the verv dark colour of the areas between the spots. And it is. I think, pex-fectlv clear that with this darkening the spots (of which there are still faint traces) have disappeared from this part of the face Moreover, there is no distinct light hue marking the cessation of the spotted area, which is so conspicuous m the present animal The bull in the Museum from the Quashengeshu Plateau. and the Mount Elgon bull of G.c. rotkschildi, the sketch of which by Sir H . Johnston is reproduced in text-fig. 27, p. 213, appear to be of about the same age as the South Lado specimen ; and the contrast between the fully-spotted faces of the two former and the partially-spotted face of the last is, ixx m y opniion, too great to permit of their being regarded as referable to one and the same subspecies. It should, moreover, be borne m mind that we are at present PEOO. ZOOL. SOC-1904, YOL. I. No. XIV. 14 |
