288 Mr. B. Khkpairick on 



across palate (outside m 1 ) 5 ; length of palatal foramina 3; 

 distance from palation to basion 11'3; length of upper cheek- 

 teeth 3. 



Hub. Burao, Somaliland. Altitude 4000 feet. 



Type. Adult male. Collected by Mr. Bury on March 1st, 

 1906. 



This Somaliland dormouse is so very much paler in colour 

 than any of the allied species, and presents so many striking 

 cranial differences, that it must be regarded as representing a 

 distinct species. In addition to the type the Museum possesses 

 three other specimens from the same locality, all very similar 

 to the type in colour and dimensions. 



It gives me great pleasure to name this handsome species 

 after Dr. Drake Brockman, to whom mammalogical science is 

 already indebted for much useful work in connection with the 

 fauna of Somaliland. 



XLI. — Further Notes on Merlia normani, Kirkp. 

 By K. KlRKPATRICK. 



(Published by permission of the Trustees of the British Museum.) 



At the end of a communication (' Annals,' July 1909, p. 48), 

 entitled "Notes on Merlia normani, Kirkp.," I stated that 

 "The definition of Merlin must be emended in a future 

 paper." After examining 100 or more slides with over 

 2000 good sections of Merlia prepared from well-preserved 

 specimens varying in size and age, 1 have come to the con- 

 clusion that Merlia normani is a sponge with a siliceous and 

 calcareous skeleton. The absolutely convincing proof, such 

 as would be afforded by seeing an embryo settle down and 

 develop the siliceous and calcareous elements, is not at present 

 forthcoming, though 1 hope, by visiting Porto iSanto Island 

 at different periods of the year, to obtain that evidence. I 

 have, however, beautiful sections of a young sponge which 

 can only be a few days old and which possesses all the 

 elements found in the adult condition. 



The evidence is so strong in favour of the view here 

 expressed, that I can now see no possibility of coming to any 

 other conclusion. To put the matter as briefly as possible, 

 the reasons for this belief are as follows: — 



I have dredged up numerous fresh living specimens, and 

 have always found the same elements, viz. a sponge, in 



