EAST AFRICAiSr MAMMALS IN NATIOjSTAL MUSEUM. 163 



Family THRYONOMYID^. 



Genus THRYONOMYS Fitzinger. 



1827. Aulacodas Temminck, Mon. Mamm. . vol. 1, p. 245. (T. swinderkmus. 



Not Aulacodus Eschscholtz, 1822.) 

 1867. Thryonomys Fitzinger, Sitz.-ber. Akad. Wien, vol. 56, p. 141. {T. semi. 



palmalus.) 

 1S96. Triaulacodiis Lydekker, Geogr. Hist. Mamm. pp. 91, 240 (pro Aulacodus 



Temminck). 



Representatives of both the large and small cane rats of this genua 

 are included in the collection; but the material is altogether inade- 

 quate, and no opinion can be ventured on the relationships of the 

 forms or on their systematic value. 



THRYONOMYS SWINt>ERIANL'S (Temminck). 



1827. Aulacodus swinderianus Temminck ^lon. Mamm., vol. 1, p. 248. (Africa; 



type in Leyden Museum.) 

 1892. Aulacodus swinderianus True, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., vol. 15, p. 468. 



Specimen. — One skin and skull, as follows: 



British East Africa: Taveta, 1 (Abbott). 



The skull of this specimen, and old adult, basal suture obliterated, 

 sex unknown, measures: Greatest length, 104 millimeters; condylo- 

 basal length, 91. 2; zygomatic breadth, 70.3; greatest width of ros- 

 trum, 29.7; greatest width of nasals, 20.4; greatest length of nasals, 

 35.5; upper tooth row, crowns, 19.2. 



THRYONOMYS PUSILLUS Heller. 



Plate 41. 



1912. Thryonomys gregorianus pusillus Heller, Smithsonian Misc. Coll., vol. 59, 

 No. 16, p. 17. July 5. (Ndi, Taita Hills, British East Africa; type in U. 

 S. Nat. Mus.) 



Specimens. — Seven, from localities as foUows: 



British East Africa: Maji-ya-chumvi, 5, including 3 embryos in 

 alcohol (Heller); Ndi, 2, including 1 odd skull (Holler). 



Females from Ndi, November 3, and Maji-ya-chumvi, December 12, 

 each contained three embryos. A small specimen, about the size of a 

 house rat, was captured at the latter place on December 10. Heller's 

 field notes say that the species lives in grassy veldt, in holes; and on 

 the edges of scrub thickets. Measurements of the type skull (young 

 adult female with basal suture open) and of a similar female from 

 Maji-ya-chumvi: Greatest length, 71.7, — ; condylobasal length, 



65.8, — ; zygomatic breadth, 43. 7, — ; greatest width of rostrum, 

 17.3, 16.9; greatest width of nasals, 11.8, 11.9; greatest length of 

 nasals, 23.6, 24.8; mandible, 50.3, 52.5; upper tooth row, crowns, 



14.9, 14.2. 



