22 Annals of the Carnegie Museum. 



II. Arvicanthis abyssinicus mearnsi subsp. nov. (Plate IV, figs. 



6-10.) 



Type from Sadi Malka, Hawash River, Abyssinia, altitude 2800 ft. 

 (Original field number 7522 E. A. M., January 29, 1912.) 



General Characters. — Length of tail equal to, or greater than, 

 combined length of head and body, and grayish olive tone of body 

 coloration. 



Skull. — Generally very similar to A. a. raffertyi (see description 

 below), but viewed laterally shows less depth in the maxillary region, 

 and a more flattened brain-case; all suggesting A. testicularis jebelce 

 Heller (see comparative table of measurements below). The posterior 

 portion of the incisive foramina, however, is shorter and not narrowed 

 down as in the latter and the breadth of the skull is greater. 



Pelage. — Black-lined dorsal area deep grayish olive to brownish 

 olive^'' posteriorly, median line absent; under parts whitish, sharply 

 differentiated from sides, and washed with buff along mid-ventral 

 line and at sides. Individual hairs of main coat dark at base, dorsally 

 with terminal to sub-terminal bands of cartilage or cream-buff, and 

 ventrally with white to light buff' tips; hairs of rump 1.15 mm.-l8.5 

 mm. in length; flanks, sides of face, outer portions of arms and legs 

 deep to dark olive-buff; ocular rings, sides of muzzle, and hairs of ear 

 cream-buff; skin of throat and inner arms bare; vibrissae black; tail 

 buff below, dark above; hairs of rump at base of tail sagal-brown;" 

 feet gray, strongly washed with buff, claws brown with horny tips. 

 In general external appearance this new subspecies somewhat resembles 

 A. a. jebelce Heller, but its upper parts are much darker, due to the 

 black lining, which is less distinct in A. a. jebelce. The size of the 

 body is less than that of the latter, and its tail is proportionally 

 longer. 



The writer's collection contains four specimens, all taken at Sadi 

 Malka on January 29, 1912. No. 7523 shows a slight variation in 

 color from the type, being lighter and more brownish olive in tone. 



I have named this new sub-species after Dr. Mearns, collector of 

 the type, and ornithologist of the expedition. 



1' Ridgway, /. c. (cf. footnote 4). 



'8 Measurements from specimen in United States National Museum. 



