38 BULLETIN" 99, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



LOPfflOMYS IBEANUS IBEANUS Thomas. 



Plate 2. 



1910. L[ophioviys] ibeanus Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., eer. 8, vol. 6, 

 pp. 223 and 224. August. (Mile 513, Uganda Railway, between Londiani 

 and Lumbwa stations, Mau region, British East Africa; type in British 

 Museum.) 



1910. L[ophiomys] ibeanus ibeanus Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, vol. 

 6, p. 223. August. 



1912. Lophiomys ibeanus Baker, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 59, No. 9, p. 1, 

 pi. 1. May 17. 



Spedmens. — ^Three, from localities as follows: 



British East Africa: Naivasha Escarpment, 1 (Heller) Nakuru, 

 2, including one with complete skeleton (Goldfinch). 



The two specimens from Nakuru were obtained alive by Mr, A. B. 

 Baker of the National Zoological Park from Mr. G, H. Goldfinch, 

 Assistant Game Warden of British East Africa. Mr. Baker has pub- 

 lished some notes on these specimens, from which I extract the fol- 

 lowing:^ 



This species of Lophiomys occurs in the higher part of British East Africa and is 

 known only to the Wandorobo, a tribe of expert hunters, who explore every corner 

 of the forests. Mr. Goldfinch was well aquainted with the game of that region and with 

 its animals generally, but this one he knew only from descriptions given by the natives. 

 At his urgent request they secured two specimens in the forest near Nakuru, at about 

 8,000 feet altitude. These he forwarded to Nairobi, whence they were shipped with 

 the collection of animals which had been presented to the Park by Mr. W. N. McMillan 

 of that place. One died at Port Said, while on the way to America, and the other 

 came through safely. 



Mr. Goldfinch states that Lophiomys is arboreal and lives in the thick forest of the 

 high country, feeding on leaves and tender shoots, also that the natives are averse 

 to handling the animal, believing its bite to be poisonous. It is, he says, "very 

 rare or only got by accident here. " In captivity it eats cabbage, sweet potatoes, and 

 other vegetables, and is especially fond of sweet potato leaves and the endive salad 

 plant. It is strictly noctm-nal, and its slow movements are very suggestive of the 

 Canada porcupine {Erethizon dorsatus). 



From Heller's experience with Lophiomys ihomasi. and the fact that 

 the Naivasha Escarpment specimen of L. ibeanus was snared in the 

 rocks, on hyrax runways on a cliff, it seems probable that the story 

 of the arborial habits of Loplvlomys is a myth. 



LOPHIOMYS IBEANUS fflNDEI Thomas. 



1910. L\ophiomys\ i\beanus] hindci Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, 

 vol. 6, p. 223. August. (Mutaragwa, Aberdave Mountains, British East 

 Africa; type in British Museum.) 



Specimen. — One skull as follows: 



British East Africa: West side of Mount Kenia at 8,500 feet 

 (Loring) . 



' Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 59, No. 9, p.2. May 17, 1912. 



