EAST AFEICAlSr MAMMALS IN NATIONAL MUSEUM. 37 



Although a few specimens of the maned rat find then- way into 

 collections from time to time, the animal is still so rare that no suita- 

 ble series are available for study. If all the collections in various 

 museums were combined it would still be impossible to form any 

 correct idea of the relationships of the named forms, and it will 

 doubtless be many years before sufficient material has accumulated. 

 All the forms knowai from British East Africa are represented in our 

 collection, with the exception of Lopliiomys tesiudo Thomas from 

 Ravine Station, the type-specimen of which remains to this date 

 imique. 



For measurements of specimens of LopMomys see table, page 39. 



LOPHIOMYS BOZASI Oustalet. 



1902. LopMomys bozasi Oustalet, Bull. Miis. Hist. Nat. Paris, 1902, p. 400. 



(Goba, southern Abyssinia; type in Paiis Museum.) 

 1910. Llophiomi/s] bozasi Thom.vs, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., sor. 8, vol. 6, p 



223. August. 



S pecimen.— One, as follows: 



Abyssinia: Let Marefia, Shoa (Ragazzi). 



Mr. Thomas believes that this form will prove to be identical witli 

 L. setJiiopicus Peters, the type-specimen of which came from Maman, 

 Sudan. 



LOPHIOMYS THOMASI Heller. 



Plate 14. 



1912. LopMomys thomasi Heller, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 59, No. 16, p. 4. 

 Julj^ 5, 1912. (Mount Gargues, Mathews Range, British East Africa, 

 6,000 feet; type in U. S. Nat. Mus.) 



Specimens. — Three, as follows: 



British East Africa: Mount Gargues (HeUer). 



Heller records the stomach contents of one specimen as leaves and 

 seeds; of the two others leaves only. 



This is a distinct species, with a much smaller skull than the 

 neighboring forms, hozasi on the north and Jiindei on the south. 



According to Heller's notes these three specimens were caught in 

 rock crevices above permanent water in an old creek bed in rank, 

 weedy vegetation. The two females were quite gentle and could 

 be stroked after taken from the traps. They were slow and dazed 

 in their movements but when disturbed made a series of faint puffs 

 or sneezes, apparently to alarm the aggressor. Tlie old male, how- 

 ever, bit savagely when irritated and made a coughy, sneezy bark 

 when angry. Held by the tail they were unable to turn up and bite. 

 Heller believes these LopMomys to be strictly rock-dwellers, not- 

 withstanding reports of their living in holes of trees. His captive 

 specimens were apparently unable to climb and when placed in the 

 fork of a tree soon fell out. 



