new African Rodents. 4 2 L 



project backwards from the skull in a manner quite unusual 

 in DipodiUus and more reminiscent of Microdillus. D. watersi, 

 however, in a lesser decree shows something of the same 

 character, but is distinguished by its narrower brain-case and 

 smaller bullae. 



The present is the DipodiUus referred to on p. 122 of 

 Dr. Drake-Brockman's ' Mammals of Somaliland/ and D. 

 somalicus that on p. 121. 



Tacliyoryctes audax, sp. n. 



A fairly large fulvous form, with particularly large teeth. 



Size of old specimens about as in T. ibeanus. Skull with 

 the nasals long, with scarcely a trace of lateral reentrant 

 concavities, attaining behind a line almost exactly level with 

 that of the ends of the premaxillary processes or a little short 

 of them. Zygomata of about normal expansion and length, 

 the distance from the anteorbital notch above to that behind 

 the squamosal in front of the meatus about 21 '5 mm., 

 markedly less than in storeyi (22*5), more than in badius 

 (20). Sagittal crest linear, well developed. Bullae larger 

 than in ibeanus. Molars very large, the transverse oblique 

 diameter of in 1 along its anterior lamina commonly attaining 

 4 mm., and always greater than in the allied forms. 



Colour dark fulvous, plumbeous individuals very rarely 

 found. Head but rarely darkened. Feet pale brown above. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh) : — 



Head and body 205 mm.; tail 59; hind foot 29. 



Skull: condylo- basal length 48'2 ; greatest breadth 35; 

 nasals 19'3x 6*6; brain-case 20x20 - 2; upper molar series 

 102; length of bulla 11*3. 



Hob. Top of the Abudare Range, British East Africa. 

 Type from 10,000'. 



Type. Adult female. Rudd Collection. Original num- 

 ber 596. Collected 5th February, 1910, by Robin Kemp. 

 Seventeen specimens. 



This mole-rat, of which the series sent home by Mr. Kemp 

 is remarkably uniform, seems most nearly allied to T. ibeanus 

 of Machakos, but differs by its conspicuously larger teeth, 

 longer nasals, and larger bullae. From T. storeyi * it is 



* By some accident I find I have given condylo -basal lengths in some 

 of the Tachyoryetes described last December, and condylo- basilar in others, 

 while in several cases misprints of these words have also crept in. The 

 condylo-basal lengths of the types of the species described are as 

 follows : — an holies 45'7 mm , desmon 45'2, ruddi 45 - 5, badius 4&Q, storeyi 

 49 - 9, naivaskcB 42'2, spalacimts 45*6, 



