RODENTS OF LIBYA 63 



3. General distribution of species: The known distribution of the 

 species in North Africa, Europe, and Southwest Asia is given under 

 this heading. 



4. Distribution in Libya: The entire range of the species in Libya, 

 including political provinces or portions thereof, based upon specimens 

 examined and published records. 



5. Distribution of the subspecies in Libya: Each subspecies is 

 arranged alphabetically and its range in Libya briefly outlined 

 according to physiographic features and political boundaries. 



6. Published records: In this section all known records from the 

 literature are summarized for each political province. For each province 

 the records are arranged chronologically, and when two or more 

 localities are represented they are listed in alphabetical order. The 

 author's name and the date of publication appear in parentheses 

 following each locality record or series of localities. 



7. Comparisons: Comparisons are limited to those species which 

 are easily confused with each other and separable only by subtle 

 characters. Because most of the Libyan species of rodents are quite 

 distinct morphologically, this section is frequently omitted. 



8. Remarks: The taxonomic history of the species is covered in 

 this section, and problems and events relating to systematics and 

 dispersal are discussed. 



9. Ecological observations: This section deals with the habitat 

 requirements of the species and discusses other species of rodents 

 which share the same habitat. 



After the general discussion at the species level, the following pro- 

 cedure is employed in the treatment of the subspecies: 



1. The currently accepted trinomial name combination is followed 

 on the same line by the name of the author. 



2. Original description: The original name is succeeded by the 

 author, a reference to the original account, the date on which the 

 foregoing account was published, and the type locality in parentheses. 



3. Specimens examined: Specimens examined, unless otherwise 

 qualified, are skins and skulls. The total number examined is given 

 first; this is followed by the name of the province, the exact locality 

 of capture, and the exact number from this locality. Collecting sites 

 from Cyrenaica are listed first, followed by those from Tripolitania 

 and the Fezzan. Within the provinces, collecting sites are arranged in 

 sequence from north to south. Those having the same latitudinal 

 coordinate are arranged from east to west. 



Sight and verbal records and records of occurrence from the literature 

 are included, respectively, in the sections on "remarks" and "published 

 records." Tn a few cases, specimens were examined from the mammal 

 collections of the British Museum (Natural History), London, and 



