1G4 Mr. G. DoUman on the 



General proportions rather let-^s than in tlie Nyasa species. 



Colour olive-grey mixed with brown, the striking rufous 

 tint of angoniensis absent; buff" colour on belly considerably 

 ])aler. 



Skull rather smaller and narrower, nasals broadly expanded 

 anteriorly, as in angoniensis ; teeth slightly smaller, m* with 

 7 laminse. 



Dimensions of the type (as given by Osgood) : — 



Head and body 18o mm. ; tail 87 ; hind foot (c. u.) 29 ; 

 ear 21. 



Skull : greatest length 41 ; basilar length 34'3 ; zygo- 

 matic breadth 21 ; length of nasals 17'7 ; greatest breadth 

 across nasals 8*9 ; depth from highest point of orbit to 

 alveolar border at front of iit^ 13'8 ; postpalatal length 15 ; 

 maxillary tooth-row 8'2 (crowns). 



The length of the molar series, from front alveolar border 

 to back of m^ in a Laikipia specimen in the Museum collec- 

 tion, is 10 mm. 



Hah. Naivasha, British East Africa, 



This race of angoniensis is evidently very widely distri- 

 buted over British East Africa. In the collection is a large 

 series from Rumruti, Laikipia Plateau, all of which agree 

 lairly closely with Osgood's description. There are also 

 .«[)ecimens from Nairobi and from as far south as liombo, 

 Kilimanjaro. The Rombo Otomys are for the most part 

 rather smaller than the Rumruti ones, but, as this variation 

 in size is not constant throughout the series, it is impossible 

 to regard it as of systematic value. 



This Naivasha form is distinguished from its near neigh- 

 bour 0. nyikce canescens by its larger size and longer skull. 



(16) Otomys nyikce, Wrought. 



Otomys irroratus nyikce, Wrought. Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. (7) vol. xviii. 

 p. 276 (1906). 



Rather smaller than angoniensis', skull much shorter, with 

 exceptionally broad flat nasals ; pattern almost triangular. 



General dimensions less than in the southern species ; 

 hind foot only 27 mm. in length. 



Colour very like that of angoniensis ; under surface of 

 body washed with brownish buflf. 



Skull shoit and stout; nasals very broad and flat, in one 

 specimen the greatest width across the nasals is as much as 

 10 mm. 



Dimensions of the type (from dried skin) : — 



Head and body 170 mm. (probably not more than 160 mm. 

 in the flesh) ; tail 70 ; hind foot 27 ; ear 20. 



