48 BULLETIN 99, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



TACHYORYCTES ANKOLMi Thomas. 



1909. Tachyoryctes ankolix Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, vol. 4, p. 



545. December. (Burumba, Ankole, southern Uganda; type in British 

 Museum.) 



Specimens. — Two, as follows: 

 Uganda: Burumba, Ankole (Doggett). 



Family MURID^. 



Genus DENDROMUS Smith. 



1829. Dendromus Smith, Zool. Journ., vol. 4, p. 438. {D. mcsomelas.) 

 1832. Dendromys Smuts, Diss. Zool., Mamm. Cap,, p. 39. 



1916. Poemys Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 8, vol. 18, p. 238. August, 

 (Z>. melanotis.) [Valid as a subgenus.] 



Of the 10 species and subspecies of tree mice of this genus listed 

 below, all belong to the typical subgenus Dendromvs as restricted by 

 Thomas except the black-fronted forms, nigrifrons and spectahilis. 

 These last two are memibers of the subgenus Poemys, characterized 

 by the presence of a nail, instead of a claw, on the fifth hind toe. 



For measurements of specimens of Dendromus see table, pages 

 51-53, 



DENDROMUS INSIGNIS INSIGNIS Thomas, 



1903. Dendromys insignis Thomas, Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 7, vol. 12, p. 

 341. September. (Nandi, BritishEast Africa; type in British Museum.) 



1910. Dendromys insignis Roosevelt, African Game Trails, Amer. ed., pp. 472, 



477; London ed., pp. 484, 489. (Part.) 



Specimens. — Sixty-one, from localities as follows: 

 British East Africa: Aberdare Mountains, east base and west 

 base, 2 (Heller); Engare Narok River, 1 (Loring); Kaimosi, 50, 

 including 23 in alcohol (Heller) ; Lake Naivasha, 1 (Loring) ; Lukosa 

 River, 1 in alcohol (Heller); Naivasha Station, 1 (Loring); Nyeri, 1 

 (Loring) ; Ravine Boma, 3, including 2 in alcohol, (Heller) ; Wambugu, 

 1 (Loring). 



Specimens of Dendromus insignis from Naivasha, the Aberdare 

 Mountains, Nyeri, and Wambugu differ from typical specimens from 

 the direct Nyanza drainage in their duller color, thus approaching in 

 that respect skins of D. i. percivali. They retain, however, the nar- 

 row braincase of true insignis and seem best placed with that form. 

 The series from Kaimosi, which is not far from the type locality, 

 shows that the form averages quite bright and reddish in color, 

 although there is considerable individual variation in this respect. 

 The younger examples are much less reddish than skins of old 

 adults. 



Although belonging to the genus of tree mice, this large Dendromys lives on the 

 ground, seemingly builds no nest, and is most often found in the runways of the 

 Otomys. (African Game Trails, p. 477.) 



