Descriptive List of the Rodents of South Africa. 217 



south than the former one, in the neighbourhood of Inhambane in 

 Southern Mozambique. There is no specimen in the South African 

 Museum. 



GEN. ACOMYS. 



Acomys, Is. GEOFFKOY, Ann. Sci. Nat. (2), x., p. 126 (1838). 

 Type A. cahirinns. 



Small, mouse-like animals with the hinder part of the back 

 covered with flattened, grooved, inflexible spines ; 6 mammae 1 pair 

 axillary, 2 pairs inguinal. 



Skull with very small incisive foramina and with the coronoid 

 process of the mandible but little developed ; in other respects 

 resembling Mus. 



About thirteen species of spiny mice are described, the bulk of 

 which are found in Africa and in the drier south-western parts of 

 Asia ; one species is known from Celebes. 



ACOMYS SUBSPINOSUS, THE SPINY MOUSE. 



Mus subsinnosus, WATEKHOUSE, Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 104 (1837). 



Acomys subspinosus, THOMAS, Ann. Mag. N. H. (6), xviii., p. 269 

 (1896). 



Description. Back covered with flat, bristle-like spiny hairs ; body 

 above greyish brown getting paler on the sides, below pure white ; 

 a yellowish ring round the eyes ; ears moderate ; tail shorter than 

 the head and body. 



Dimensions (of the type). Head and body 3'33 ; tail 2-93 ; from 

 ear-opening to tip of nose - 88 ; hind foot '70. 



Distribution. The type is described as having come from the 

 " Cape of Good Hope " ; no more exact locality is recorded ; there 

 is no specimen in the South African Museum. 



ACOMYS SELOUSI, SELOUS' SPINY MOUSE. 



Acomys selousi, DE WINTON, Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 807, pi. xl., fig. 2 

 [animal] , (1896). 



Description. Smoky rufous-brown or coffee-coloured above, more 

 smoky on the face and darker on the back ; clear chestnut-brown on 

 the cheeks, sides, and on a patch behind the ear ; below pure white 

 the two colours sharply distinguished ; tail longer than the head 

 and body, brown above paler below. 



