TREE MICE 



98 



more have been described since the last edition of his 

 " Catalogus Mammaliuni." 



This genus contains the " Vlei " l\ats, animals about 

 9 inches in length and of a dark brown colour, living in 

 the marshy spruits and vleis, or in the scrubby bush 

 localities of the veld. 



In the Pretoria District the Brown Vlei Rat {Otomys 

 irroratus) is found amongst the rushes and reed beds of 

 the Aapies l\iver (being found even within the precincts 

 of the Zoo), where it makes runs or pathways for itself 

 through the undergrowth, and subsists upon bulbs, 

 roots, &c. It does not live very well in captivity, the 

 majority soon getting a species of dysentery which 

 speedily carries them off. 



The other species are Otomys iinlsulcatus, Otomys 

 hrantsi, Otomys sloggetti and Otomys hroomi. 



Genus DENDROMYS. Tree Mice. Boom Muizen. 

 This genus contains the small tree mice with long 

 scaly tails sparsely covered with hairs. They have 

 slender legs and large ears. Four species are found in 

 South Africa. There are two chestnut coloured species : 

 a larger with usually, though not invariably, a black 

 stripe down the centre of the back {Dendromys meso- 

 melas), length SJ inches, tail 31 inches — ranging from 

 Nyasaland to Cape Colony ; and a smaller {Dendromys 

 pximilio) scarcely 2 inches in length, with a tail of 

 2^ inches, without a black dorsal stripe. Both species 

 are whitish on the underparts. The Chestnut Tree 

 Mouse (D. mesomelas) is fond of the reedbeds bordering 

 watercourses, vleis, &c., where they commandeer the 

 nests of weaver birds wherein to bring forth their young. 

 It may also be found in bushy localities, where it makes 

 a nest for itself in the branches of a tree or bush. The 



