SOMALI ELEPHANT SHREW 

 Elephantulus somalicus, Thos. 



Somali name, IVa/o 



Description.— The general colour of this truncated shrew 

 varies according to locality, those specimens from Ogo being 

 considerably darker in colour than those from Ogo-Guban and 

 Cuban. The general colour of a typical specimen from Ogo- 

 Guban is reddish fawn above, paler on sides, with chin, throat, 

 belly, hands and feet white. Underfur is slate. White palpebral 

 patches well marked. Tail darker above than below. No sign 

 of a tuft towards tip. 



Measurements of an adult male from Burao are : 



Head and body . . . . . .in mm. 



Tail 126 „ 



Hindfoot . . . . . . . . 31 „ 



Ear 23 „ 



Distribution. — Found in northern parts of British Somaliland 

 within 100 miles of the coast. 



Habits. — This shrew is similar in habits to M. revoilii ; it 

 always frequents more or less stony sites, living in holes in the 

 ground or in among piles of rocks and stones. I have found 

 it living amicably together with Bruce's dassie and Speke's 

 pectinator. 



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