NOTES MADE BY LORING 495 



from the large forest trees. Often the cries were directly over our 

 heads^ and at a time when the porters were singing and dancing about a 

 bright cainp fire. Although we tried many times to shine their eyes 

 with a powerful light, we never succeeded, nor were we able to hear any 

 rustling of the branches or scraping on the tree-trunks as one might 

 expect an animal of such size to make. The porters were offered a rupee 

 apiece for dassies, but none were brought in. 



Rock Hyrax {Procavia brucei maciilata). These animals inhabited the rocks 

 and cliffs on Ulukenia Hills in fair numbers. None lived in burrows of 

 their own make, but took advantage of the natural crevices for cover. I 

 heard their shrill calls at night, usually when the moon was out. 

 Several were shot, and two trapped in traps set in narrow passages 

 through which the animals travelled. 



Klippspringer (Oreotragns oreofrugus). Several pairs of these little antelopes 

 were seen on Ulukenia Hills, but never were more than two found at a 

 time. They lived on the rocky hillsides, and were quite tame, allowing 

 one to approach within twenty-five yards before taking fright and dashing 

 into the rocks —invariably their shelter when alarmed. When thoroughly 

 friglitened they made a loud sneezing sound. Two were collected, one 

 of which was a female with horns. A young Boer who had lived in that 

 neighbourhood three years told me that all the females of proper age 

 had horns. 



Pigmy Gerbille {Dipodillus harwoodi). These little sand mice resemble very 

 closely some of our American pocket mice {Perognathus). Heller took 

 several on the Xjoro O Solali, and found them common ; and 1 caught 

 one specimen on the South Guaso Nyero River. On the sandy desert 

 flats on the south-west side of Lake Naivasha they were abundant. The 

 holes, running obliquely into the ground, were sometimes blocked with 

 sand from the inside. On the opposite side of the lake there was less 

 sand, and here the gerbilles were found only in spot*. In sand alone 

 their burrows resembled those described, but where the ground was hard 

 they entered almost perpendicular, and were never blocked with sand. 

 Often seed-pods and tiny cockle-burrs were strewn about the entrances. 



Pigmy Mouse {Mas [Leggada] grafiis). Various forms of this tiny little 

 mouse were taken all along the route we travelled. They were caught in 

 traps set at random in the brushy thickets in the lowland, as well as in 

 the open grassy spots on the rocky hillsides, where tliey frequented the 

 runways made by various species of Mils. A few were collected on 

 Mount Kenia. 



Athi Rock Mouse {Epimy.s nieventris alee). This mouse proved to be a new 

 species. It was common in and about the rocks on Ulukenia Hills, 

 which is the only place where we found them. Those taken were caught 

 in traps, baited with peanut-butter, dried apple, and rolled oats, and set 

 among the rocks. 



Forest .Mouse {Epimgs peromysciis). At our camp, at 8,500 feet altitude, 

 we first met with this mouse ; and although a good line of traps, well 

 baited, and set about stumps, tree-trunks, and logs, for three nights, but 

 one mouse was captured, that being taken under a large log. Several 

 others were trapped in the thick brush bordering the bamboos. At 

 10,000 feet several were caught in the bamboo, and at 10,700 feet a 

 good series was collected on a well-thicketed and timbered rocky ridge. 



Masked Tree Rat (rAf/ninow?^.? /oj-m^ft). None were taken until we reached 

 the south-west end of Lake Naivasha. Here, and also at Naivasha 

 Station, a number were collected in traps baited with rolled oats and 

 dried apple, and set at the base of large trees and in brushy thickets in 

 groves. In some of these trees and in the bushes, nests of sticks, grass, 



