Mammals from the Dtnka Country, Bahr-el-Djebel. 99 



and the colour is dull, while the skull has a truncated rostrum, 

 with short nasals and small premaxillary outgrowths, ortho- 

 dont incisors, and large molars. T. robusta (including 

 murinus, Sund.), macropus, nigrtcauda, and mombasce are 

 typical members of the first group ; while benvenuta, fiavi 'pes, 

 soror, and liodon (with its nearest allies) are representative of 

 the second. In South Africa the distinction between the two 

 groups seems to break down or is less marked. This may, 

 however, be merely an appearance, for it is possible that one 

 of the two groups may be missing from the country south of 

 the Zambezi. If such be (he case, the group actually present 

 there must fill all the accommodation available for the genus; 

 and therefore it would not tend to be specialized in either of 

 the two directions as is necessitated elsewhere by competition. 

 The absence of rivals weakens allegiance. 



T.flavipes and soror, described from the banks of the Blue 

 Nile by Mr. G. M. Allen, are clearly nearly related to ben- 

 venuta. In the absence of material from the Blue Nile we 

 are unable to make a proper comparison ; flavipes is, how- 

 ever, a considerably larger form than ours, while soror would 

 seem to be smaller, brighter in colour, and to have relatively 

 smaller bullse. 



We would take this opportunity to describe 



21. Taterona benvenuta lucia, subsp. n. 



Hab.— Musisi River, Lake Albert. Altitude 2400 feet. 



Type.— An old female (B.M. 11. 12. 9. 34), collected with 

 a male in February 1911, and presented to the British 

 Museum by Mr. Gilbert Blaine. 



This differs from the typical form of the Bahr-el-Djebel by 

 ils smaller size, shorter tail, and darker colour. 



With regard to the difference in size, the hind foot 

 measures 30-31 mm., instead of about 34 as in adults of the 

 typical form ; and the coudylo-incisive length of the very old 

 female skull is 37 - 8 instead of about 40 mm. 



The tail is about equal to the length of the head and body, 

 instead of being appreciably greater. The back is much more 

 completely and extensively darkened by the black hair-tips 

 than in true benvenuta. 



Skull. — General form as in true benvenuta, but smaller and 

 with relatively broader brain-case; incisors with still weaker 

 grooves. 



Dimensions of the type and J (in parentheses) : — Head and body 150 

 (151) mm. ; tail 151 (152) ; hind foot 30 (31) ; ear 19 (21). 



7* 



