TWO NEW AFRICAN RATELS 



By N. HOLLISTER 



Assistant Curator, Division of Mammals, United States National 



Museum 



Among some interesting x\byssinian mammals, collected and pre- 

 sented to the United States National Museum by the Hon. Hoffman 

 Philip, minister resident and consul general, Adis Ababa, Abyssinia, 

 is a specimen of McUivora which clearly represents a form distinct 

 from any heretofore described. While this specimen was being 

 compared with the material in the Museum collection another unde- 

 scribed species, represented by specimens from Mount Kiliinanjaro 

 and British East Africa, was discovered. 



MELLIVORA ABYSSINICA, sp. nov. 



Type from vicinity of Adis Ababa, Abyssinia. Cat. No. 1 71876, 

 U. S. Nat. Mus. Old adult female, skin and skull. Collected in 

 1909 by Hoffman Philip. 



General characters. — Size medium ; mantle complete from be- 

 tween eyes to well on to tail ; head and back of uniform, color: white 

 marginal line of mantle scarcely distinguishable. 



Color. — Black, with a uniformly colored dark grizzled iron-gray 

 mantle commencing in a point between the eyes, 45 mm. from nose, 

 widening to ears, and extending in a large oval over entire back, 

 tapering to a point again well out on base of tail. Entire black area 

 with an inconspicuous sprinkling of white hairs. The gray mantle is 

 made up of wholly black and wholly white hairs, and is sharply 

 divided from the black of sides and underparts. A very faint mar- 

 ginal line of lighter gray is barely noticeable along sides of mantle. 

 Width of mantle between shoulders, 115 mm.; at widest point, 175. 



Skull. — The skull of the type is slightly damaged about the pre- 

 maxillse, and one zygomatic arch is broken, making it impossible to 

 get accurate measurements of length or breadth. It is a very old 

 adult and the teeth are much worn. The following measure- 

 ments have been taken : Post-palatal length, 60 ; least interorbital 

 breadth, 32.2; greatest breadth of brain-case, 68.5; length of mandi- 



Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections, Vol. 56, No. 13 



