EINAR LÖNNBERG, THE GENUS POTAMOCHCERUS. 19 



Upper me- 

 sial length 

 mm. 



in an adult boar from Kondoland 376 



» » » » » Kwa Mtoro, S. of Irangi378 

 » » » » » Tabora, Ujiji . . . . 362 



There is a small rise as well in the absolute measurements 

 as in the percentages but it is so sb'ght that it is of less im- 

 portance. The increase in breadth of the parietal area con- 

 tinues, however, still more further north, thus in a boar from 

 the country north of Tabora with a skull the upper mesial 

 length of which is 373 mm., the parietal flat area has a 

 breadth of 31 mm. which constitutes 8,3^0 of the length. 

 In another specimen from Pangani with an upper mesial 

 length of 372 mm. the parietal area measures 36 mm. or 

 9,6 7o of the length. A specimen from Ukurewe in Victoria 

 Nianza with an upper mesial length of the skull of 346 mm. 

 the parietal area is 37 mm. or 10,6% of the length. There 

 is thus a general tendency, as it seems, that the parietal area 

 of the Bush Pigs in German East Africa gradually increases 

 in size in connection with a more northern habitat. As I 

 have not had any opportunity to study these animals nor 

 to examine skins from localities corresponding to those where 

 the skulls have been collected I have to confine myself to 

 the statement of the above facts. A gradual change of this 

 kind makes, however, the establishment of species, or even 

 subspecies within such a region very risky. 



On the other hand as mentioned above the difference 

 between the Bush Pig of Cape and Natal, and that of Portug. 

 East Africa and adjoining parts of Rhodesia is more abrupt 

 and they constitute more likely two races. The question is 

 then, how are they to be named? The oldest specific name 

 which can be used is choeropotamus {»koiropota7mis») of Des- 

 MOULINS, because Schreber's »Sus africanus» was already pre- 

 occupied for a Warthog. Desmoulins' type was probably 

 from Cape and could not have been from any country north 

 of »Cafrerie» as it was »un individu rapporté par de Lalande 

 du midi de TAfrique» and the said naturahst did not proceed 

 further north during his scientific expedition to South Africa.^ 



^ P. A. De Lalande's »voyagescientifique» — — »au Cap» is described 

 in HoErER's Nouv. Biogr. Générale T. 13. Paris 1855 p. 403 with the 

 following words. »Il y [au Cap] arriva le 3 aout 1818 il pénétra 



