LÖNNBERG, MAMMALS FROM BRIT. E. AFRICA. 13 



At another opportunity ^ I have communicated a series 

 of measurements of skulls of Canis mesomelas from as well 

 South as East Africa and as a conclusion of these I said: 



»the superior size of the males in South Africa is quite 



apparent. On the other hand it is plainly seen that female 

 skulls from Damaraland, Kilimanjaro, Sotik, the Guaso Nyiri 

 district and Eritrea agree very elosely in size so that there 

 cannot be based any racial difference on the size as far as 

 the black-backed Jackals of these countries are concerned.» 



The present material does not allow any addition to 

 this, although it confirms the already stated fact that nor- 

 thern male Jackals of this species have smaller skulls than 



the Southern. 



Heller has recently created a subspecies of this Jackal 

 which he names Thos mesomelas mcmillani. The type of this 

 is from Brit. East Africa and appears to be individually 

 aberrant in possessing a white tip to the tail, with regard 

 to which it differs from a number of other specimens collect- 

 ed by the quoted author himself in British East Africa. 

 Otherwise Heller's subspecies is said to differ from the 

 typical mesomelas from South Africa by being less rufous 

 and by the light underparts, )>throat and belly being white 

 or påle buff instead of rufous». I have compared the pre- 

 sent specimen as well as specimens from Guaso Nyiro, British 

 East Africa, and from Eritrea with South African specimens 

 from Damaraland, Limpopo and Natal and found the former 

 if anything more brightly rufous than the latter. The South 

 African specimens in this museum have also the throat and 

 belly white. As far as can be seen from the material on 

 hand the superior size of the southern males is thus the only 

 difference that hitherto can be recognized. 



Canis (Schaeffia) lateralis Sundevall. 



1 c? jnv. 1 ? -7i. 1 c? ^Vu i ? 'Vi 1914, all from Juja 

 farm. All the skins are in good condition with the fur not 

 worn. The side stripes are therefore well visible, iDut more 

 strongly developed in the older than in the younger speci- 

 mens. The white tip of the tail is largely developed in all. 

 The collector has recorded the following measurements: 



^ K. Sv. Vet. Akad. Handl., Bd. 48, n:o 5, p. 55. 



