VOL. XII, PP. 73-76 MARCH 24, 1898 



PROCEEDINGS 



OF THE 



BIOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF WASHINGTON 



DESCRIPTION OF A NEW RODENT OF THE GENUS 



IDIURUS* 



BY GERRIT S. MILLER, JR. 



Among some African birds recently purchased by the United 

 States National Museum were found a few mammal skins from 

 Efulen, in the Cameroon district. Two of these are referable to 

 the rodent genus described by Mr. Paul Matschie under the name 

 Idiurus.'f Although taken within seventy miles of Yaunde 

 Station, the type locality of Idiur as zenkeri, these specimens are 

 referable to a species quite distinct from the one represented by 

 Mr. Matschie's unique type. The new form may be called : 



Idiurus macrotis sp. nov. 



Type No. 83625, United States National Museum, $ young adult, col 

 lected at Efulen, Cameroon district, West Africa, June 18, 1895, by G. L. 

 Bates. Original No. 4. 



General characters. Much larger than. Idlarus zenkeri Matschie ; tail and 

 ears relatively longer ; color apparently darker ; skull larger ; bony palate 

 narrower; second lower molar distinctly larger than first. 



Fur and color. Pelage formed of hairs of two kinds. Main body of fur 

 composed of soft densely set hairs about 9 mm. in length. Interspersed 

 with these are hairs about double as long and closely resembling those 

 of the wrist and foot tufts. These hairs occur on the dorsal surface only, 

 and are most numerous along the sides. Dorsal surface of membranes 

 covered with fur somewhat less dense than that on body ; extreme edges 

 of membranes bare. Ventral surface of membranes very sparsely haired. 

 Distribution of hair on tail and feet exactly as described in /. zenkeri. 



* Published by permission of the Secretary of the Smithsonian Insti 

 tution. 



t Sitzungs-Berichte Gesellschaft Naturforschender Freunde zu Berlin, 

 1894, p. 194. 



16-BioL. Soc. WASH., VOL. XII, 1898 (73) 



