152 African Zoolooy. 



these examples have but four toes on each foot, with one small naked pad 

 under each toe : the two middle toes are the lons^est aud f qual, tlie outer 

 toe the shortest, the inner toe intermediate in length, and on tlie hind 

 feet of remarkable stnicture. Immediately above a short curved nail 

 there is a transverse row of homy points formiu<j a pectinated apparatus ; 

 above this is a second parallel row of stiff \\hite bristles ; and over this, 

 a third row of bristles, which are much longer and more flexible: there 

 aie thus three distinct parallel rows of points of unequal firmness. The 

 toe next the inner one has two small fleshy tubercles above the nail, 

 covered by two rows of bristles, the under one short, the upper long; it 

 has no horny points. The two outer toes, without tubercles, have each 

 only one tuft of long bristles." The same Naturalist, in page 50 of the 

 ■work quoted, niskes the following valuable remarks : — " Some pecu- 

 liarities observed in these little animals are worthy of notice. The molar 

 teeth, as before stated, presented tlie singular anomaly of those of the 

 upper jaw being different in their structure and surfaces from those of the 

 lower jaw. Tlie former, in their crowns, are very similar to those figured 

 by M. F. Cuvier, as peculiar to his genus Hehitnys (^Pedetes, Illig.); 

 •while those of the lower jaw somewhat resemble the teeth of the various 

 species of Arvicola. The stomach, in form and pyloric contraction, is 

 like the same organ in the Lemminas {Lemmus), Jerboas {Dipufi), and 

 Gerhilles [GerbiUus). The caciim resembles that of the Guinea-Pig 

 (Cohnya), Agouti {Distyprocia), und Marmot (Arcloniys) ; while the sac- 

 culated form of the colon is found in the common Hvuse-Rat (3iu« dccu- 

 manus, L.)" 



Genus Mrs. LinncEi/s. 



Incisors I, canines ^^^ molars II, — 16. Molars with iuher- 

 cu'oits ci'oiins ; ears oblong or rounded; anterior feet with four 

 toes and a wart, hind-foet withjiie toes, all armed with nails; 

 tail long, naked, and scaly, scattered hairs longer and stiffer 

 than the fur intermixed with it, and which in some species 

 amount to a kind of spines. 



Mus decumanus, Pallas. (Norway Rat.) For aliove, grey- 

 "brown pencilled with black ; sides reddish white ; belly dull 

 white. Length from nose to base of tail about eight inches and 

 a half; length of tail about seven inches. ♦ 



Inhabits South Africa. — Houses in the Colony, — the open 

 country immediately around Port Natal. 



Mus decumanus, Pallas, G/ires 91, 40. Desm. Mammal, 

 p. 299 and 473. 



Ohs. This species, not originally a native of Afirica, is subject to con- 

 siderable variation, both in respect of size and colour. 



Mus variegatus, Brants, (Grizzled Rat.) Hair closely ap- 

 plied to the skin and of moderate length, towards the bases bluish 

 black, towards the points brown, grey, or yel)ox\-ish, which 

 tints produce a variegated colour. Body moderately long ; 

 cars covered with short brownish blue hairs ; forehead flat ; 

 molars with tuberculous crowns and true roots; tail short and 

 so thickly covered with short rigid hairs that the rings are. 



