198 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Nasal bones not expanded, normal ; upper incisors moderate, the 

 groove well to the outer side of the tooth, the outer edge pale, almost 

 white ; lower incisors sometimes faintly grooved, generally smooth ; 

 formula of molar laminae : 



Dimensions (from an example in spirit). Head and body 5'60 (of 

 a skin 7'0) ; tail 3'40 ; hind foot 1-15; from ear-opening to tip of 

 nose 1-60; skull length 1-50, breadth -75; cheek teeth -30. 



Distribution. Namaqualand, Sir Andrew Smith's specimen came 

 from the neighbourhood of the Orange Eiver ; there are a con- 

 siderable number of examples in the South African Museum obtained 

 by Mr. Peringuey at Klipfontein, near O'okiep in Namaqualand. 



SUB-FAMILY DENDKOMYINAE. 

 GEN. DENDEOMYS. 



Dendromus, A. SMITH, Zool. Journ., iv., p. 438 (1829). Type 

 D. mesomelas. 



Small, slender, mouse-like animals with long, scaly, and sparsely- 

 haired tails, rather large ears, and with slender limbs with the three 

 middle digits of each elongated. Skull with the infraorbital opening 

 triangular, hardly at all narrowed below. 



Upper incisors grooved, molars small, the anterior upper one as 

 long as the second and third taken together ; the tubercles fairly 

 distinctly arranged in pairs. 



DENDBOMYS MESOMELAS, THE CHESTNUT TREE MOUSE. 



Mm mesomelas, BEANTS, Muizen, p. 122 (1827). 



Dendromus typiis, A. SMITH, Zool. Journ., iv., p. 439 (1829). 



Dendromys mesomelas, SMUTS, Enum. Mam. Cap., p. 40 (1832). 



Dcndromys typicus, A. SMITH, S. Afr. Quart. Journ., ii., p. 158. 

 (1834) ; ID., Illustr. Zool. S. Afr. Mam., pi. xxxiv., fig. 1, pi. xxi., fig. 2 

 [skull and teeth] (1849). 



Description. General colour chestnut-brown above, paler on the 

 sides, white with a rufous tinge below ; fur soft and thick, dark slaty 

 for the basal three-quarters, tips chestnut-brown ; head and snout 

 acutely pointed ; ears large, thinly covered with hairs, which are thicker 

 along the margin, so as to there give it a darker appearance ; fore 

 limbs short and slender, formed for grasping, the three middle fingers 

 elongated and the fifth much shorter, all clawed except the first ;, 



