Mammalia. 171 



Bathyergus caecutiens, Lichtenstein. (Blind Land Mole.) 

 Fur short and silky, surface colour of the upper and lateral 

 parts of head and body rusty brown or rusty grey, in some lights, 

 with a splendid greenish gloss ; under-part greyish white with 

 a faint rusty tint; vv^'id hairs of tail reddish white, those of 

 •sides of feet white; nails light horn-coloured; eyes extremely 

 small ; incisors pure white, and all plain in front. The entire 

 of the fur, except towards the surface, light blackish green, 

 palest on the sides and under-parts of the body. Length from 

 nose to base of tail about five inches and a half; length of tail 

 half an inch. 



Inhabits South Africa, — rare near Cape Town, — common in 

 gardens in (he District of Uitenhage. 



Bathyergus Hottentotus, Less, et Garn, Bullet, de Science 

 Nat. viii. p. 77- SO, Bathyergus Ludwigii, (j/oung,') Smith, 

 2^oologkal Journal, vol. iv. p. 439. 



0!is. In all tiie species of this genus, not only the intensity of the 

 tints is subject to considerable variety, but even the colours themselves 

 differ slightly in different individuals. Specimens of Bathyergus mariti- 

 mm are often found with the entire of the surface colour a light bluish 

 grey, and others, with the upper parts at least, very deeply tinted with a 

 dull rufous or rusty hue. Examples oi Bathyergus Capcnsis are occasion- 

 ally found with the upper and lateral parts of the head of the same 

 colour as the back ; others with those parts very deep black ; and some 

 are met with where the colour of the upper p^irts of the body is a light 

 bluish grey or rusty grey instead of a rusty brown. The Bathyeri^us 

 . caecutiens has not unfrequently the upper and lateral parts of the body of 

 a pale rusty grey, — and in young specimeus the entire is a moderately 

 tlark slate-colour. 



With incomplete clavicles or none. 



Genus Hystrix. Linncetis. 

 Incisors I, canines ^%, molars ^i, — 20. Molars with flat 

 crowns, but with ridges of enamel; headstrong ; muzzle gibbous \ 

 ears short aud rounded, tongue with spiny scales ; fort-feet with 

 four toes and a rudimentary thumb, hind-feet with five toes ; 

 spines more or less long on the body. 



Histrix cristata, Linnzeus. (Crested Porcupine.) Forehead 

 and muzzle covered with duslcy brown bristles ; top of head and 

 hack of neck with a mane of long spinous bristles, reddish white 

 towards points, elsewhere brown black ; anterior part of back 

 and upper parts of sides with stiff spines annulated black and 

 white ; middle and liinder part of back with short white spines ; 

 lower-parts and extremities with short flexible black spines or 

 bristles. Tail armed with strong spines annulated black and 

 white, and at its point furnished with a tuft of hollow mem- 

 fcraueous cyUuders, each of which is attached by a long narrow 



