THE SMALL POUCHED RAT 



land. It resembles the Pouched Rat (Saccostomus 

 campcstris) with the exception that its fur is lighter, 

 with a sandy tint, instead of slaty-brown. 



It feeds largely on the seeds of the wild acacia 

 (kameel-thorn) trees. 



THE SMALL POUCHED RAT 



{Saccostomus fuscus) 



This Pouched Rat has been recorded from Inham- 

 bane in Southern Mozambique. It is smaller than 

 the previously mentioned Pouched Rats, averaging 

 3 to 3J inches in size from the nose to the root of 

 the tail, instead of 5 inches as in the others. It also 

 differs in the following ways : 



(i) The nose is more sharply pointed. 



(2) The ears are more thickly covered with hairs. 



(3) Under parts are grey, and the claws of the 

 feet are black. 



Genus : Acomys 



The Mice of this genus are small, with the hinder 

 parts of the back covered with flattened, grooved, 

 stiff spines (Sclater). Most of the species in this 

 genus inhabit Africa and the drier south-western 

 parts of Asia. One species is recorded from Celebes. 



There are two species of Spiny Mice recorded 

 from South Africa, viz. the Spiny Mouse {Acomys 

 stibspinosus), which is stated to occur in the Cape 



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