SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONSVOLUME 63. NUMBER 7
NEW SUBSPECIES OF MAMMALS FROMEOUATORIAL AFRICA
BYEDMUND HELLERNaturalist, Smithsonian African Expedition
(Publication 2272)
CITY OF WASHINGTONPUBLISHED BY THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTIONJUNE 24, 1914
Z^e Botii (^aftttttor« (preeeBALTIMORE, MD., U. S. A.
NEW SUBSPECIES OF MAMMALS FROM EQUATORIALAFRICABy EDMUND HELLERNATURALIST, SMITHSONIAN AFRICAN EXPEDITIONFurther study of the collection of mammals from British EastAfrica and L^ganda now in the United States National Museum,secured by the Smithsonian African Expedition under the directionof Colonel Roosevelt and the Paul J. Rainey African Expedition, hasbrought to light the several new forms of carnivores and rodentsdescribed in the present paper. THOSJackals and CoyotesThe jackals and their American representatives the coyotes areseparable from the true wolves, which are typical of the genus Canis,by several constant dental characters which seem to justify therecognition of the group under t]je generic name Thos first proposedby Oken in 1816 for the Indian jackal. Cants aureus. Oken placedfour specific names under his group name Thos, the last of which,Canis vulgaris, he particularly mentions as being the Thos of theancients and on this account it should stand as the type of the genus.Canis vulgaris is a synonym of C. aureus. Thos may be defined asa group of Canidae having long slender Vulpes-Wke canines, smallouter incisors, small carnassials, upper molar teeth with well markedcingulums and the fourth lower premolar witK a minute extra cuspon its hinder border. The genus Canis or the wolves are distinguish-able by their much thicker and shorter canines ; their greatly en-larged outer incisors which are more than twice the size of the innerones, being somewhat hyena-like in this respect ; large carnassialteeth ; upper molars without a definite cingulum ; and the fourthlower pre-molar without a third cusp on its posterior border.East equatorial Africa or rather Northeast Africa generally issupplied with more species of jackals than any other region. Threedistinct species are found living together on the same plains overmost of the territory of British East Africa. The most distinct ofthe three species in coloration is the black-backed or T. mesomclaswhich has the black of the back sharply marked ofif from the brightrufous of the sides. The Indian species, T. aureus, which here reachesSmithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 63, No. 7
2 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63
its southern limit in Africa, approaches mesomclas closely in shape ofskull and the large size of its reddish ears but differs by the brokencharacter of its black dorsal area which merges indefinitely into thecolor of the sides. The best marked species of the three in skullcharacters is the side-striped jackal or T. adustiis which has a longslender snout and very long Viilpcs-\\ke canine teeth. In bodycoloration, however, it is not always easily distinguishable from theIndian but it may be recognized with certainty by its small darkcolored ears and the presence of a more or less well marked whitetail tip. An excellent series consisting of 68 specimens of skins withtheir skulls are in the National Museum from British East Africarepresenting the three species referred to above. A comparison ofthis material shows several well marked forms occupying definitegeographical or faunal areas. The races of African jackals thus fardescribed have come from South Africa or from Abyssinia and theSudan and none of the names thus far proposed seem to be applicablein a restricted sense to the East African races which are described inthe following pages.KEY TO THE RACES AND SPECIe's OF JACKALS OCCURRING INBRITISH EAST AFRICAA^ Black of back not sharply defined against light color of sides ; forelegmarked by a black stripe in front; chin dark brown or blackishin marked contrast to the light color of the throat.B^ Sides marked by a more or less definite black stripe owing to the middlearea of the back being vermiculated by whitish ; back of ears darkbrown ; tip of tail usually showing some white hairs ; snout long,the nasals bones extending as far posteriorly as the maxillariesor beyond ; bony palate extending as far posteriorly as the pos-terior edge of the last molar Thos adustusC Underparts ochraceous-rufous, the hair basally dark gray ; tailwith a few white hairs at tip or none T. adustus bivehaO Underparts white or pale buff, the hair uniform to the roots ; tailbroadly tipped by white .T. adustus noiatusB" Sides merging gradually into the dark color of the back ; backs ofthe ears ochraceous ; tail black tipped ; snout short, the nasalbones not extending as far posteriorly as the maxillaries ; bonypalate not reaching as far posteriorly as last molar T. aureusO Coloration lighter and body size less than in the northernraces T. aureus beaA^ Black of back sharply defined against light color of sides and uniformthroughout ; foreleg not marked by a black stripe ; chin whitishand uniform with the throat in color; tail tip black; snout short,the nasal bones not extending posteriorly to the maxillaries
;
palate not reaching to end of tooth row T. mesomclas
NO. 7 MAMMALS FROM EQUATORIAL AFRICA HELLER 3
B' Size larger ; undcrparts ochraccous with dark hair basesT. mesouielas elgonae
B""" Size smaller; underparts white or light buff; the hair uniform tothe roots T. mesomelas mcmillaniTHOS ADUSTUS BWEHA, new subspeciesElgon Side-striped JackalType from Kisunui, British East Africa ; adult male, number182342, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by Edmund Heller, January 20,1912: original number 2663.Characters.—The Elgon side-striped jackal, Thos adustus Inveha,resembles most closely the Abyssinian race kaffensis described byNeumann from the headwaters of the Sobat River in southwesternAbyssinia. It may be distinguished from that race by the muchdarker color of the legs and the reddish character of the dorsal hairbasally. From notatus it dififers by the darker underparts which arewashed with ochraceous-rufous, and are dark haired basally through-out. The legs are a deep russet heavily black lined on their upperparts, the hind quarters being especially deep and rich in coloring.The back is heavily black-lined and merg-es into the black of the sidesso that the side-striped effect is quite obscured or absent entirely.The tail is not conspicuously white-tipped as in notatus, this featurebeing reduced to a few scattered white hairs hidden among the blackhairs of the tip. The tail is shorter and the foot averages smallerthan that of notatus. The flesh measurements of the type were
:
head and body, 720 mm. ; tail, 310 ; hindfoot, 148 ; ear from notch, 90.Skull: condylo-incisive length, 152; greatest length, 160; zygomaticwidth, 82; interorbital width, 27; postorbital width, 30; nasals13.4x58; length of upper cheek to front of canine, 68; width ofmesopterygoid fossa, 14.5; length of palate, 80; length of incisiveforamina, 10. The skull shows considerable age, the sagittal crestbeing a high knife-like ridge and the basisphenoidal sutures oblit-erated. This specimen is unfortunately somewhat abnormal havingtwo pairs of upper carnassial teeth, the smaller pair being inside thelarger.The collection contains three additional adult males from the typelocality and two from the Uasin Gishu Plateau. The latter are moreheavily lined with black than those from the Kavirondo country, butotherwise are quite indistinguishable from them. Two skins andfour skulls are in the National Museum from Mashonaland, whichrepresent the Zambesi race holiihi. These are distinguishable from
4 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63hzveha by their rufous-backed ears and their larger skulls and bodysize generally.The Swahili name for the jackal and the one commonly adoptedby the interior tribes now in touch with European civilization ishzveha. Distinctive names for the three species occurring togetherthroughout the country do not appear to be in use among any of thetribes. THOS ADUSTUS NOTATUS, new subspeciesLoita Side-striped JackalType from the Loita Plains, British East Africa ; young adult male,number 181486, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by Edmund Heller, April16, 191 1 ; original number 2033.Characters.—Thos adustus notatus may be distinguished from allother races by its white underparts, the whole throat, chest and bellybeing white, the hair of the throat and chest being white to the rootsbut dark gray basally on the belly. From typical adustus of SouthAfrica it may be further distinguished by its smaller size, the skullbeing decidedly smaller, by its drab instead of russet ears and thebrighter rufous of the dorsal hair basally. It resembles adustus inthe light color of its legs which are ochraceous-buff, the foreleghaving a black stripe from the shoulder to the knee. The tail isconspicuously tipped by pure white as in adustus. It differs frombzveha of the Kavirondo and Uasin Gishu region by its light under-parts, light colored legs, white tipped tail and distinctiveness of theblack side stripe. The tail is considerably longer than in hzveha butthe general body size is the same.The flesh measurements of the type were : head and body, 715 mm.
;
tail, 390; hindfoot, 165 ; ear from notch, 80. Skull: condylo-incisivelength, 152; greatest length, 157 ; zygomatic breadth, 80; interorbitalwidth, 26.5 ; postorbital width, 30.5 ; nasals, 14X 58 ; length of uppercheek teeth to outer edge of canine, 70; length of upper carnasial,13.9 ; width of mesopterygoid fossa, 14.8 ; length of palate, 79. Skullsomewhat immature with distinct sutures and lacking a sagittal crest.Besides the type there is in the National Museum another adultmale from the Loita Plains which resembles the type closely in colorand an immature female from the same locality which shows afulvous wash on the underparts, which may be a sexual color dififer-ence rather than individual in character. The type has been com-pared with two adult male specimens from south of the ZambesiRiver representing typical adustus.
NO, 7 MAMMALS FROM EQUATORIAL AFRICA—HELLER 5THOS AUREUS BEA, new subspeciesSouthern Golden JackalType from the Loita Tlains, British East Africa ; adult female,number 162904, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by Edmund Eleller, July4, 1909; original number, 200.Characters.—Thos aureus bea may be distinguished from the morenorthern African races by its much smaller body size and lightercoloration generally, the ears and legs being of a decidedly lighterfulvous shade. Compared to variegatus, the Abyssinia race, the sizeis much less, the difference in skull length being 25 millimeters less.Typical aureus of India differs only racially from these North Africajackals which have usually been treated as a race of anthus originallydescribed from Senegal. In skull characters and coloration theAfrican resembles the Indian and Asiatic races of aureus so closelythat their relationship is better shown by placing them under theIndian jackal as subspecific forms. The present form is the mostsouthern race and the only one to extend south of the equator. Itdoubtless reaches its extreme southern limit in central German EastAfrica but no specimens have yet been reported from that region. Ina general way this jackal coincides, in its geographical range, withthe striped hyena throughout Africa and Asia.The type is an adult female in fresh pelage, the back being heavilylined or overlaid by black from the nape to the tip of the tail whichis wholly black and has the hair everywhere basally vinaceous.. Theunderparts are whitish or pale buff, the hair being uniform to theroots. The backs of the ears and the legs are bright ochraceous,the forelegs having a black stripe in front over the knee similar tothe black stripe on adustus. Worn specimens often have the medianarea of the back lacking the black hair tips but the sides still retainingthem, which produces a side-striped effect quite similar to the side-striped effect of adustus. Young and immature specimens lack theblack lining of the back and are consequently much lighter coloredthan the adults.The flesh measurements of the type were: head and body, 640mm.; tail, 275; hindfoot, 140; ear from notch, 99. Skull: condylo-incisive length, 140; greatest length, 150; zygomatic breadth, yy
;
interorbital breadth, 23.5; postorbital constriction, 26; nasals, 13.2 X53 ; length of upper cheek teeth including canine, 65 ; length of uppercarnassial, 15.5 ; length of palate, 71 ; width of mesopterygoid fossa,14; length of incisive foramina, 11.
6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63Five specimens are in the National Museum from the plains northof Mount Kenia which mark the eastern limits of the LaikipiaPlateau. Two additional specimens from the Loita Plains, onefrom the Rift Valley near Mount Suswa and another from LakeNaivasha complete the series.THOS MESOMELAS ELGONAE, new subspeciesHighland Black-backed JackalType from the Uasin Gishu Plateau, British East Africa, altitude8,000 feet; adult male, number 164699, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected byEdmund Heller, November 13, 1909; original number, 466.Characters.—Thos mesomelas elgonae resembles most closely theAthi or coast race nicmillani but may be distinguished from it by itsdarker coloration, larger size and heavier coat. The underparts aredarker than those of the desert race, being ochraceous-buff, the hairbasally being quite grayish and the sides are duller ochraceous-rufous.The tail is tipped with black and the backs of the ears are tawny.From mesomelas of South Africa this race differs by its less rufousunderparts and absence of rufous on the head.The type measured in the flesh : head and body, 600 mm. ; tail, 325 :hindfoot, 150; ear from notch, 100. Skull: condylo-incisive, length,141 ; greatest length, 145 ; zygomatic breadth, 84; interorbital width,28.5; postorbital constriction, 30; nasals, 13x48; length of uppercheek teeth including canine, 62.5; length of palate, 70; width ofmesopterygoid fossa, 14.3; length of upper carnassial, 16.5.A series of 10 specimens are in the collection from the type local-ity, which agree with the type in the character of their ventral colora-tion and long heavy coat. This is a highland race confined apparentlyto the upper elevations of the Nile watershed.THOS MESOMELAS MCMILLANI, new subspeciesAthi Black-backed JackalType from Mtoto Andei station, British East Africa, altitude 2,500feet; adult female, number 181483, U. S. Nat. Mus.; collected byEdmund Heller, April 5, 191 1 ; original number 2003.Characters.—Thos mesomelas mcmillani differs from typicalmesomelas of South Africa by its smaller body size and less rufouscoloration. The underparts are especially light, the throat and bellybeing white or pale buff instead of rufous as in mesomelas and thehair of these parts is light to the roots rather than grayish basally.
NO. 7 MAMMALS FROM EQUATORIAL AFRICA HELLER 7This race approaches in its Hght coloration closely schmidti ofSomaliland but it differs from this form by the absence of rufouson the head and the white tipped tail. The tip of the tail is markedl)y a tuft of white hair, a feature not found in the series of 35 skinsfrom the Loita Plains and the northern Guaso Nyiro districts, allof which have black tips. The type is in fresh pelage and has thel)lack back well marked and sharply contrasted from the brightochraceous-rufous sides and legs. The hair of the back basally ishair-brown of Ridgway. The backs of the large ears are ochraceousand the chin is white like the throat in color.The flesh measurements were: head and body, 690 mm.; tail, 350;hindfoot, 140; ear from notch, 95. The skull shows considerableage and has a high, well developed sagittal crest. Condylo-incisivelength, 137; greatest length, 146; zygomatic breadth, 82; interorbitalwidth, 29.5; postorbital constriction, 31.5; nasals, 13.2x53; lengthof upper cheek teeth including canine, 62.5 ; length of palate, 67 ;width of mesopterygoid fossa, 15.5; length of upper carnassial, 15.The type is unique in the possession of the distinct white tail tipbvit a large series (35) of specimens from the Loita Plains, thenorthern Guaso Nyiro district, Athi Plains and Taveta, Kilimanjarodistrict, which are closely similar to the type in their white underparts,have the tail black tipped. This race is confined to the coast drainageand the lower parts of the Rift Valley and is the only jackal whichis found in the low desert nyika country.Named for William N. McMillan to whom the SmithsonianAfrican Expedition is indebted for his generous hospitality at JujaFarm and in Nairobi.HELIOSCIURUS RUFOBRACHIATUS SHINDI, new subspeciesTaiti Red-legged SquirrelType from the summit of Mount Umengo, Taita Hills, BritishEast Africa, altitude, 6,000 feet; adult male, number 182768, U. S.Nat. Mus. ; collected by Edmund Heller, November 11, 1911 ; originalnumber 4731.Characters.—Most closely related to Heliosciurus riifobrachiatusundiilatiis of Kilimanjaro but differing by having paler underparts,buft'y-ochraceous in tone without the rufous cast of that form. Thedorsal surface is lighter with less black lining than in undulatus.The feet dift'er by being ochraceous and never as dark as the rufousof undulatus. There are no apparent differences in size or propor-tion of parts.
8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63The flesh measurements were : head and body, 225 mm. ; tail, 283 ;hindfoot, 55; ear, 18. Skull; condylo-incisive length, 50; zygomaticbreadth, 32; nasals, 18x8.2; interorbital width, 17; postorbitalwidth, 16.5 ; length of upper tooth row, ii ; diastema, 1 1.5.This squirrel is confined to the remnant of forest covering theextreme summit of the Taita Hills, where it is very rare. The typewas the only individual seen during a fortnight's stay on the summitof Umengo Mountain. It has been compared with the type ofundidatus which was collected by Dr. L. W. Abbott on MountKilimanjaro and is now in the National Museum. Among theWataita tribe this squirrel is known as " shindi."TATERA NIGRACAUDA PERCIVALI, new subspeciesLorian Black-tailed GerbilleType from the Lorian Swamp, British East Africa, altitude 700feet; adult female, number 183945, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected byA. Blayney Percival ; original number 792.Characters.—Tatera nigricauda percivali differs from the raceiconica from the middle course of the Guaso Nyiro drainage by itsduller or paler dorsal coloration, the reduction of black lining onthe back and the smaller body size. The pelage throughout is muchshorter and thinner, a condition brought about by the extremely aridand hot conditions of the Lorian desert which lies at an altitude ofonly 700 feet.Flesh measurements: head and body, 133 mm.; tail, 170; hind-foot, 35; ear, 21. Skull: condylo-incisive length, 35.5; zygomaticbreadth, 20; interorbital breadth, 8 ; nasals, 4 X 16.5 ; length of uppertooth row, 6.5; diastema, 10.8; length of incisive foramina, 7.8;mastoid breadth of skull, 18.2.The type is the only specimen in the National Museum.EPIMYS liAISERI TURNERI, new subspeciesKavirondo Bush RatType from Kisumu, British East Africa ; adult female, number183395, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by H. J. Allen Turner ; originalnumber 5 121.Characters.—Nearest in coloration to Epimys kaiseri hindei of theAthi River drainage but decidedly darker, the dorsal surface russetrather than ochraceous, the underparts gray instead of buff, and the
NO. 7 MAMMALS FROM EQUATORIAL AFRICA—HELLER 9
feet drab, not white as in the other East African races. From mcdica-tus of Mumias it differs decidedly by its shorter tail, the tail beingconsiderably less than the head and body while in the former it ismuch greater. The skull differs from that of medicatus by its morearched dorsal profile, longer snout, smaller size and greater concavityto the antorbital plate on its outer margin.Flesh measurements of the type: head and body, 155 mm.; tail,135; hindfoot, 27; ear, 22. Skull: condylo-incisive length, 35;zygomatic breadth, 19; interorbital breadth, 5.5; nasals, 4.8x16;length of upper tooth row, 6.5 ; diastema, 10; length of incisive fora-mina, 8.5.Ten specimens besides the type are in the collection from Kisumuwhere they were secured in the papyrus beds on the margin ofKavirondo Bay. This race appears to be confined to the papyrusbeds of the Victoria Nyanza, the rising country immediately backof the lake being occupied by the long-tailed, light-colored medicatus.Named for H. J. Allen Turner of Nairobi to whom the writer isindebted for much assistance in collecting mammal specimensthroughout the Kavirondo country.
EPIMYS CONCHA ISMAILIAE, new subspeciesGondokoro Multimammate MouseType from Gondokoro, Uganda ; adult male, number 165 108, U. S.Nat. Mus. ; collected by J. Alden Loring, February 23, 1910; originalnumber 9056.Characters.—Thxs race is allied most closely to Epimys conchahlainci of Chak-Chak, Bahr-el-Ghazal River, but may be distin-guished by its larger feet and longer tail. The coloration is quite asin blainei, the dorsal surface being wood-brown slightly darker onthe midline and the underparts are white, the hair basally dark gray.The flesh measurements of the type were: head and body, 108mm.; tail, 115; hindfoot, 24. Skull: Condylo-incisive length, 26.5;zygomatic breadth, 13.5; interorbital width, 4.1; nasals, 3.4X12;length of upper tooth row, 4.7; diastema, 7.4; length of incisiveforamina, 6.8.A series of 20 specimens are in the National Museum. Ten ofthese are from the type locality and the others are from Nimule andthe stations just north of it on the Gondokoro Road which followsthe east bank of the Nile.
lO SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63EPIMYS KAISERI CENTRALIS, new subspeciesNile Bush RatType from Rhino Camp, Lado Enclave, British East Africa ; adultmale, number 165035, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by J. Alden Loring,January 11, 1910; original number 8633.Characters.—The coloration of this race resembles closely that ofEpimys kaiseri norae of the northern Guaso Nyiro drainage ofBritish East Africa but dififers by its less buffy tone to the dorsalsurface and by the much shorter tail and wider skull.Flesh measurements of the type were : head and body, 148 mm.
;
tail, 162; hindfoot, 30. Skull: condylo-incisive length, 35 ; zygomaticbreadth, 19; interorbital width, 5.8; nasals, 4.5X 15 ; length of uppertooth row, 5.8; diastema, 10; length of incisive foramina, 9.A series of 38 specimens are in the National Museum from RhinoCamp, Lado Enclave. Others somewhat less typical in character arefrom Unyoro, Uganda, and from Nimule and Gondokoro in northernUganda. MUS GRATUS SORICOIDES, new subspeciesTaita Pygmy MouseType from Mount Mbololo, Taita Hills, British East Africaadult male, number 183544, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by EdmundHeller, November 8, 191 1 ; original number 4675.Characters.—Like Mus grains of Ruwenzori but underparts muchmore buffy or rather ochraceous in tone. Body size somewhat less,both the feet and skull being smaller but the tail is longer. Thedorsal color is bister-brown lined by black medially and bordered onthe lower sides by an indefinite band of bright fulvous. The under-parts are ochraceous, the hair basally gray. Feet buffy. This raceis confined to the remnants of forest still left on the extreme summitsof the Taita Hills at elevations of 5,000 or 6,000 feet. Two addi-tional specimens are in the collection from Mbolobo Mountain andone other from LTmengo Mountain.Flesh measurements of the type: head and body, 60 mm. ; tail, 59;hindfoot, 13 ; ear, 11. Skull : condylo-incisive length, 17.3 ; zygomaticbreadth, 9.3; interorbital breadth, '3.5 ; nasals, 2.3x8.2; length ofupper tooth row, 3.3 ; diastema, 4.5 ; length of incisive foramina, 4.2.
NO. 7 MAMMALS FROM EQUATORIAL AFRICA—HELLER IIOENOMYS HYPOXANTHUS VALLICOLA, new subspeciesNaivasha Rusty-nosed RatType from Lake Naivasha, British East Africa; adult female,mimber 162614, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by J. Alden Loring, July15, 1909; original number 6640.Characters.—This is a much lighter and smaller race than bac-chante of the Man and Kikuyu escarpments bounding the Rift Valleyto the west and the east of Naivasha. In coloration it approachesnearer editits of Ruwenzori but is less rufous or rusty and is some-what smaller in body size. The skull is shorter decidedly than thatof editus but equals it in zygomatic width.Flesh measurements of the type : head and body, 160 mm. ; tail,184; hindfoot, 31. Skull: condylo-incisive length. 34: zygomatic.breadth, 17; interorbital width, 5.5 ; nasals, 4-6 X 15 ; length of uppertooth row, 7; diastema, 10; length of incisive foramina, 7.8.Three other specimens from Naivasha are in the collection andthey agree in coloration with the type.
ARVICANTHIS ABYSSINICUS VIRESCENS, new subspeciesOlivaceous Grass RatType from Voi, British East Africa ; adult male, number 183922,U. S. Nat. Mus.; collected by Edmund Heller, November 15, 191 1 ;original number 4775.Characters.—Arvicanthis abyssinicus virescens resembles nairobaemost closely from which it may be readily distinguished by its darkerdorsal coloration, which is heavily lined by blackish hairs having adistinct greenish iridescence. The body size is considerably smallerand the skull shows relatively smaller bullae, and teeth, and narrowerand more slender nasal bones. In the tone of its dark dorsal colora-tion it resembles nubilans of the Kavirondo region but it differsfrom this race by its white underparts and its much smaller body size.The flesh measurements were : head and body, 125 mm. ; tail, 103 ;hindfoot, 26 ; ear, 16.5. Skull : condylo-incisive length, 30 ; zygomaticbreadth, 16.8; interorbital breadth, 4.8; nasals, 4.8x12; length ofupper tooth row, 6.2 ; width of first upper molar, 2 ; diastema, 8.8
;
length of incisive foramina, 6.2.The type is unique. It has been compared with a large series oftopotypes of both nairobae and nubilans in the National Museumand is readily distinguishable from both of these races.
12 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63LEMNISCOMYS DORSALIS MEARNSI, new subspeciesKikuyu Single-striped Grass RatType from Fort Hall, British East x\frica, altitude 6,200 feet;adult female, number 1636 16, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by J. AldenLoring, September 11, 1909; original number 7152.Characters.—Lemniscomys dorsalis mcarnsi is an intensely fer-ruginous form of dorsalis differing from the Taita race maculosusby richer coloring and larger size. The rump and hindlegs are brightferruginous which, farther forward on the shoulders, becomes lessintense and quite ochraceous in tone. The underparts are uniformwhite in sharp contrast to the bright ochraceous-rufous sides.The flesh measurements of the type are : head and body, 131 mm.
;
tail, 140; hindfoot, 31; ear, 12. Skull: condylo-incisive length, 33;zygomatic breadth, 17; interorbital breadth, 5; nasals, 4.4x13;length of upper tooth row, 6.5 ; diastema, 9.3 ; length of incisiveforamina, 7.Two other specimens from Fort Hall complete the series of thisrace which represents altitudinal as well as inland limits of thiscoast species.ACOMYS IGNITIS MONT^NUS, new subspeciesMarsabit Spiny MouseType from the north slope of Mount Marsabit, British East Africa ;altitude 4,600 feet; adult female; number 182901 U. S. Nat. Mus.;collected February 26, 191 1, by A. Blayne Percival; original number,309-Characters.—Resembling A cornys ignitus in general features aswell as in quality of the pelage but coloration much grayer and dullerand size larger. Dorsal coloration vinaceous-drab, the sides brighteror pure vinaceous but not sharply marked from the darker mid-dorsal region. Underparts and feet pure white, the hair white to theroots. Tail and eafs drab-gray.Flesh measurements of the type : head and body, 90 mm. ; tail, 92 ;hindfoot, 17; ear, 16.5. Skull w^anting. Another topotype also withskull missing is in the collection. The race is a mountain form livingat an elevation of 4,000 feet or more and is larger and duller coloredthan the low desert forms to which it is related all of which are con-fined to the lower desert levels below 2,500 feet in altitude.