. Mr. O. Thomas on Two new Rodents. 267 
H-2027 
XLV.—Descriptions of Two new Rodents from the Victoria 
Nyanza. By OLDFIELD THOMAS. 
By the kindness of Canon Tristram I have had _ the oppor- 
tunity of examining some small mammals obtained at Nassa, 
on the Speke Gulf of the Victoria Nyanza, by Mr. F. C. 
Smith, of the Church Missionary Society. ‘These prove to 
consist of three species—a mungoose (Helogale undulata *, 
Peters), a dormouse, and a hare, the two latter being new 
to science. 
Myoxus (Eliomys) Smithit, sp. n. 
Size very small. General colour above uniform pale ashy 
grey, without darker markings of any kind. Head like 
back ; no dark rings round eyes or patches between eyes and 
ears. Cheeks, sides, and under surface white, but the hairs 
here, as on the back, slaty grey basally. Hands and feet pure 
white. Tail thick and bushy, apparently intermediate in 
form between those of J/. crassicaudatus and murinus; but, 
owing to the manner in which the tail of the type has been 
prepared, an exact description of its form and proportions is 
not practicable. ‘Tail-hairs dull rufous brown with white 
tips. 
Ears extremely small, smaller apparently than in any other 
dormouse, naked, flesh-coloured. Hind feet short and broad, 
their soles with six pads, whose positions appear to be much 
as in M. murinus. 
Skull broad, short, and rounded ; muzzle very short, but, 
owing to the anterior part of the nasals being slightly damaged 
in the type, it is difficult to give exact dimensions; in any 
case, however, the muzzle is decidedly shorter and broader 
than in the allied species; anterior palatine foramina rather 
shorter than the combined upper molar series. Upper branch 
of the anterior zygoma-root further forward than the lower, 
agreeing in this respect with Jf, murinus and differing from 
M. crassicaudatus. 
Dimensions of the typical skin :— 
Head and body 86 millim. ; tail without hairs (approxi- 
mate) 49, with end hairs 73; hind foot without claws 16°5. 
Skull: back of bulla to front face of incisors 21; greatest 
breadth 13°6 ; nasals, length (c.) 7:3, greatest breadth 3:2 ; 
* Three specimens of Helogale were killed at one shot, thus confirming 
Emin’s observation (P. Z. 8S. 1890, p. 444) that this mungoose hunts in 
packs like some of the smaller Mustelide. 
