NO. 17 NEW SPECIES OE EAST AERICAN RODENTS — HELLER 15 



nasal, 14; palatal foramina, 8.5; length of bulla.% 6; upper tooth- 

 row, 7.5; diastema, 12.5; condylo-incisive length of mandible, 28. 



This species is very much browner than hclukus, with a less hairy 

 tail in old age, and smaller body size. The angle of the antorbital 

 plate is much more pronounced than in any other specimen in the 

 collection. Interorbital region narrow, the beads on margin much 

 raised and leaving a deep median groove. 



A large series of specimens show the age differences in skulls to 

 be great. The interorbital region changes from a flat, weakly 

 beaded condition to a narrow, deeply concave affair with high beads. 

 Bullae in youth high and rounded, becoming in age flat and broad, 

 antorbital plate less concave in young. 



MUNGOS SANGUINEUS ORESTES, new subspecies 

 Kenia Forest Mungoose 



Type from west slope of Mt. Kenia, altitude 8,500 feet; adult 

 male, number 164152, U. S. Nat. Mus.; collected by J. Alden Lor- 

 ing, October 12, 1909; original number, 7934. 



Characters. — Much darker and larger than sanguineus, with black 

 predominating on the dorsal surface ; skull larger and wider zygo- 

 matically. .J 



Coloration. — Median dorsal area from snout to tip of tail black- 

 ish ; top of head and tip of tail wholly black ; back and sides mixed 

 tawny and black, the black predominating; feet like back, only the 

 toes black; sides of face black like the crown. Under parts mixed 

 tawny and dark brown, the tawny predominating. 



Measuronents. — Head and body, 300 vrnxi.; tail, 282; hind foot, 

 59. Skull: condylo-basal length, 65; palatal length, 34; zygomatic 

 breadth, 34.5 ; width of brain case, 26.5 ; greatest diameter of pm^ 8. 



The series of six topotypes shows considerable variation. The 

 darkest one has the head feet and median line of the back wholly 

 black. The lightest one is somewhat darker than normal specimens 

 of sanguineus. This new race is nearest to proteus of Mt. Ruweri- 

 zori, which lives in very similar environment. It has a longer tail 

 and larger skull, and is much less blackish. 



