154 African Zoology. 



Mus Alexandrinus,GeoS. (Rat of Alexandria.) Head shorter 

 than in the Mus Decumanus ; ears larger, brown, and quite 

 naked ; nose sharp ; whiskers lon^ and Mack ; upper parts of 

 bady grey-hrown with a reddish tint ; under-parts ash-grey passing 

 into yellow ; tail scaly, nearly naked, and marked by 130 or 140 

 rings. The bases of the hairs are slate coloured, and the tips 

 of most of them are of a rusty tint ; the longest hairs have 

 brown points, which arc compressed and marked with a furrow 

 along the middle. Length from nose to base of tail six inches ; 

 length of tail eight inches. 



Inhabits Egypt,— about Alexandria. 



Geoff. Mem. de V Hist, de Fgypte, pi. 5. Jig. 1. Desm. 

 Mamm. No. 475. Brants, Het Geslachi dcr Muizen, j3. 106. 



Mus musculus, Linnaeus. (Common Mouse.) Fur yellowish 

 brown above, mixed A^th black hairs ; beneath iron-grey. 

 Length from nose to base of tail three inches and a half ; length 

 of tail about three inches. 



Inhabits South Africa, — in houses. 



Mus domesticus vulgaris, Ray. IMus Sorex, Briss. Jiegn. 

 Animal, p. 1G9. Mus musculus, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 12. 

 Erxleb. Bodd. Gmel. Schreb. tab. 18 Desm, Mamm, A'o.478. 

 Le Souris, Buff. Htst. Nat. 



Obs. This species has doubtless been introduced into South Africa 

 by European ships. 



Mus Colonvs, Licht. Hair moderately long and very soft ; 

 body thick in proportion to its length. Colour above grey 

 tinted with yellowish brown, especially towards the root 

 of the tail ; sides and cheeks pale tawny ; upper lip, chin, 

 throat, breast, belly, extremities, and space round base of tail, 

 while ; nails covered by long white hairs ; ears moderate, oval ; 

 inner surfaces covered with a fine short reddish white hair ; 

 outer surfaces thinly sprinkled with short blackish brown hairs; 

 whiskers moderate, hairs black towards roots, whitish towards 

 tips ; point of nose reddish white ; tail distinctly ringed, and 

 thinly sprinkled with short hair, brownish above, and dull white 

 beneath. The bases of all the hairs on the body are slate- 

 coloured. Length from nose to base of tail three inches and a 

 half; length of tail two inches and a half. 



Inhabits South Africa. — Eastern districts of the Colony. 



Obs. I am in doubt whether the species now described be the Mus 

 Colunus or not. Without good figure?, or very detailed descriptions, it is 

 quite impossible to discriminate with any degree of certainty, the smaller 

 species, at least, of this genus., The leiigih of tlie specimen in my 

 possession is iiifcrior to the one described by Brunts, but that may 

 possibly depend upon the mode in which the skin has been prepared. 



