142 Field Columbian Museum — Zoology, Vol. i. 



FAM. OCTODONTIDiE. 

 Pectinator spekei (Blyth). 

 Pectinator spekei. 

 ^ Adadleh. 



This curious chinchilla-like animal was only met with once, 

 at the place mentioned above, on the highland just beyond the 

 head of the Jerato Pass of the Golis Range. It seemed to be a 

 rock-loving species, and was procured at the same time the 

 example of Procavia was secured. The fur is very soft, and the 

 skin so thin and delicate that it was very difficult to remove it 

 from the body without tearing. The whiskers are of great length,, 

 and the tail bushy but rather short. 



FAM. SPALACID^. 

 Heterocephalus glaber (Rupp). 



Heterocephalus glaber. 



a. S ad. Jerato Pass. 



b. $ ad. Hullier. 



This very peculiar hairless rodent was first seen by us at the 

 foot of the Jerato Pass just beyond Mandera. It attracts the 

 notice of the traveler by the little mounds of sand it heaps up in 

 its progress through the soil. It is sensitive to the slightest 

 sound, and even the faint noise made by a footfall in the vicinity 

 of its tunnel will cause it to cease work and remain motionless- 

 for a long time. Its immediate presence is disclosed by slight 

 jets of sand rising from the center of the mounds, as the animal 

 is engaged in digging and throwing the sand from the tunnel by 

 its hind feet. When one was discovered so occupied, we would 

 approach carefull}'' and noiselessly as possible, and discharge a 

 rifle into the ground just in front of the creature's head. The con- 

 cussion would throw into the air a quantity of soil, carrying the 

 animal with it, which was killed by the shock, but the body totally 

 uninjured for a specimen. Certain places we visited had the 

 ground covered for a considerable distance with the sand mounds 

 of this species intersecting the soil in every direction, the tunnels 

 generally winding among the trees, upon the roots of which the 

 animal probably subsists. So wary, however, were they, and so 

 difficult was it to approach them without giving an alarm, that 

 although we frequently watched the little mounds for a long time 

 after the sand was seen to fly from them, we were only able to 

 secure two specimens. Two species of this genus are known, the 



