6 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 63 



Five specimens are in the National Museum from the plains north 

 of Mount Kenia which mark the eastern limits of the Laikipia 

 Plateau. Two additional specimens from the Loita Plains, one 

 from the Rift Valley near Mount Suswa and another from Lake 

 Naivasha complete the series. 



THOS MESOMELAS ELGONAE, new subspecies 



Highland Black-backed Jackal 



Type from the Uasin Gishu Plateau, British East Africa, altitude 

 8,000 feet; adult male, number 164699, U. S. Nat. Mus. ; collected by 

 Edmund Heller, November 13, 1909; original number, 466. 



Characters. — Thos mesomelas elgonae resembles most closely the 

 Athi or coast race nicmillani but may be distinguished from it by its 

 darker coloration, larger size and heavier coat. The underparts are 

 darker than those of the desert race, being ochraceous-buff, the hair 

 basally being quite grayish and the sides are duller ochraceous-rufous. 

 The tail is tipped with black and the backs of the ears are tawny. 

 From mesomelas of South Africa this race differs by its less rufous 

 underparts and absence of rufous on the head. 



The type measured in the flesh : head and body, 600 mm. ; tail, 325 : 

 hindfoot, 150; ear from notch, 100. Skull: condylo-incisive, length, 

 141 ; greatest length, 145 ; zygomatic breadth, 84; interorbital width, 

 28.5; postorbital constriction, 30; nasals, 13x48; length of upper 

 cheek teeth including canine, 62.5; length of palate, 70; width of 

 mesopterygoid fossa, 14.3; length of upper carnassial, 16.5. 



A series of 10 specimens are in the collection from the type local- 

 ity, which agree with the type in the character of their ventral colora- 

 tion and long heavy coat. This is a highland race confined apparently 

 to the upper elevations of the Nile watershed. 



THOS MESOMELAS MCMILLANI, new subspecies 

 Athi Black-backed Jackal 



Type from Mtoto Andei station, British East Africa, altitude 2,500 

 feet; adult female, number 181483, U. S. Nat. Mus.; collected by 

 Edmund Heller, April 5, 191 1 ; original number 2003. 



Characters. — Thos mesomelas mcmillani differs from typical 

 mesomelas of South Africa by its smaller body size and less rufous 

 coloration. The underparts are especially light, the throat and belly 

 being white or pale buff instead of rufous as in mesomelas and the 

 hair of these parts is light to the roots rather than grayish basally. 



