4'2 XKRUS RüTILUS 



It seems however that this niofle of coloration is not 

 constant, in some individuals the straw-color partly being 

 replaced hy a more fleshy tinge , Avhereas in other ones a 

 blackish brown predominates. The straw-color is peculiar to 

 the type of this species , viz : to some specimens collected 

 by Rüppell in Abyssinia, The more fleshy tinge has induced 

 V. Heuglin to describe a new species Xerus dahagala from 

 the Somali-Coast and also Prof Alph. Milne Edwards to 

 create his Xerus flavus ; the type specimens of the latter 

 species were from the Gaboon, but lately the Paris Museum 

 has recieved specimens from the Somali-Coast which altog- 

 ether show the same coloration. Under the name Xerus 

 fuscus , Huet described specimens from Abyssinia ; the 

 upper parts of these individuals present the above named 

 blackish brown color. 



m.m. 



Length of head and body 244 



» » tail with hairs 260 



» » tail without hairs 196 



» » hind foot with claw 55 



» » skull 51 



Width between the jugalia (incomplete) . . about 32 



» » » orbits 15 



Length of upper molar series 10 



Distance between incisor and first upper molar. . 11.5 



There are four molars in each jaw. Incisors light orange , 

 smooth, 



N. i, Schillu (Rüppell), Dabagiila (v, Heuglin). 



flab. Senegal (Lesson)? ; Gaboon (Guislain). — White Nile 

 (d'Arnaud) , Abyssinia (Rüppell) , Mount* of Adel (Schoeffer , 

 Bocourt), Bogos, Keren, Massaua (v. Heuglin), Somali- 

 coast (Revoil), Zeila and Berbera (v. Heuglin). 



Rüppell and v. Heuglin relate that Xerus rutllus lives in 

 holes, which it digs very quickly. Sometimes it frequents trees 

 and shrubs , but if detected it rapidly disappears in its under- 

 ground habitation; here also parturition takes place. It lives 

 in pairs. In tiie morning and in the evening it leaver the 



Notes fi'oai the Leydeii Aliisciim, Vol. I \'. 



