234 Annals of the South African Museum. 



Four species from other parts of Africa are recognised in addition 

 to the one below described. 



THRYONOMYS SWINDERENIANUS, THE CANE EAT. 



Aulacodus siclndcrianus, TEMMINCK, Monogr. Mam., i., pp. 245, 

 248, pi. xxv. [juv.] (1827) ; WATERHOUSE, Nat. Hist. Mam., ii., 

 p. 356, pi. xvi., fig. 2 (1848); LAYARD, Cat. Mam. S. Afr. Mus., 

 p. 50 (1862). 



Aulacodus swinderenianus, THOMAS, Ann. Mag. N. H. (6), xiii., 

 p. 202 (1894). 



Desertion. General colour speckled yellow and brown, below 

 paler, body covered everywhere with coarse bristles, no under-fur, 

 the bristles are pale brown for the greater part of their length, with 

 subterminal black and terminal yellow portions, they are flattened 

 and grooved on the upper surface ; chin and upper lip dirty white ; 

 ears short, broad and rounded, almost concealed among the bristles, 

 covered with a few dark hairs ; limbs rather short, with four clawed 

 toes to each, those of the fore limb being the shorter, pollex very 

 small with a flat nail, hallux absent ; tail less than half the length of 

 the head and body, somewhat rat-like, covered with short stiff 

 hairs, dark above, light below, the scaly skin being hardly hidden ; 

 mammae 6 in number, pectoral in position. 



Dimensions (from a stuffed specimen). Head and body 19'0 ; tail 

 7'0, hind foot 2'80 ; from ear-opening to nose-tip 3-55 ; skull length 

 3-75, breadth 2'62 ; upper molars -75 ; weight of a male from 9 to 

 10 Ibs. 



Distribution. The Cane Eat was originally described by Temminck 

 from a young specimen of which the history was unknown ; sub- 

 sequently it was obtained from Sierra Leone and Natal, and it is 

 now known as well from French Congo, Angola, German East 

 Africa, Nyassaland, and Mozambique. Within our limits it is found 

 only in the eastern Transvaal, Zululand, Natal, and the eastern 

 portion of the Colony as far as Grahamstown. 



FAMILY HYSTEICIDAE. 



GEN. HYSTEIX. 



Hyatri.1-, LINNAEUS, Syst. Nat., 12th ed., i., p. 75 (1766). 

 Porcupines with short tails, smooth soles, and furrowed uppei 

 lips ; the skull is ovate and greatly inflated with air sinus, the nasal 

 cavity being specially large ; the clavicles are imperfect. 



