South- African Rodents. ?> 



Graphiurus ocularis. Smith. 



Sciurus ocularis, A. Smith, Zool. Journ. iv. (Jan.-May), 1829, p. 439. 

 Graphiurus ca2?ensis, F. Cuv. Mamm. livr. lx. fig. 254 (Sept.) (1829). 

 "Autre Loir," F. Cuv. Diet. Sc. Nat. xxvii. p. 124 (1823). 

 Myoxus Cattoirii, Fisch. Synops. Mainm. p. 310 (1829). 

 Graphiurus typicus, Smith, S. A. Q,. Journ. 1834, p. 145. 

 Graphiurus elegans, Ogilby, P. Z. S. 1838, p. 5 (juv.). 

 Graphiurus capensis, Smith, 111. Zool. S. A., Mamm. pi. xxxix. (1843). 

 Graphiurus capensis auct. 



The above being the synonymy of this animal, it will be 

 seen that Smith's specific name must be allowed priority ; 

 this author in his later publications, however, conformed to 

 the specific name given by Cuvier — who had made a new genus 

 for the reception of this species — only because it was the fashion 

 at that date to affix a fresh specific name to any species when 

 transferred to a different genus from that in which it had been 

 placed by the original describer. 



Hub. Extreme south of Cape Colony. 



Specimens of this animal are much needed, it being ex- 

 tremely rare in collections. 



M. Lataste has divided the genus Gerbillus into well- 

 marked subgenera (' Le Naturaliste,' 1882, p. 126), a most 

 convenient mode of at once showing the form of the feet, tail, 

 and molar teeth ; this code has generally been followed by 

 recent writers, the subgeneric name being placed in brackets, 

 and this method is used below. 



Gerbillus {Gerbillus) pazba, Smith. 



Gerbillus paba, Smith, Rep. Exped. Int. S. Afr., App. p. 43 (1836). 

 ? Meriones coffer, Licht. Verzeichn. Auct. Siidafr. Nat. Berlin, 1839 



(5th Oct.), nomen nudum. 

 ? Meriones binotatus, id. ibid., nom. nud. 

 ? Meriones rufescens, id. ibid., nom. nud. 

 Gerbillus tenuis, Smith, 111. S. Afr. pi. xxxvi. fig. 2 (1842). 

 ? Meriones caffer, Wagn. Arch, fiir Naturg. 1842, p. 18. 



Dr. Andrew Smith always thought himself justified in 

 changing a name he had himself given if another more appro- 

 priate one suggested itself. The type of G. posba and G. tenuis 

 being one and the same specimen, the first name must of 

 course stand for this species. 



Hab. Transvaal and Namaqualand. 



Gerbillus (Tatera) afer } Gray. 



Mus sericeus, Temm. MSS. v. Pp. Mus. Levd., nom. nud. 

 Gerbillus afra, Gray, Spicil. Zool. x. (1128). 



1* 



