98 SOUTH AFRICAN MAMMALS 



Genus EOSACCOMYS. 



There are four species of Pouched Rats, the commonest 

 of which is Eosaccomys campestria. They are rat-like 

 animals with cheek pouches and a short tail. They live 

 in cultivated fields, making their burrows with an 

 opening at both ends. 



There are two other genera, Acomys and Dasymys, 

 both of which are but little known. 



Genus ARYICANTHUS. 



Striped Field Mice. Gestreepte Muizen. 



Ears hairy. First and fifth digits sbort. The Striped 

 Field Mouse (Arvicanthus pumilid) has been divided into 

 a number of sub-species, the Bechuanaland form being 

 larger and of a more sandy tone, while the Rhodesian is 

 darker. The typical species has the body of a greyish 

 brown colour with four longitudinal black stripes running 

 down the back from the shoulders to the root of the tail. 

 The length of the head and body varies from 3| to 

 5 inches ; tail from 4 to 6 inches. 



The Striped Mouse is found in reedbeds or bushy 

 patches near watercourses, or in bush country, although 

 my personal experience has been invariably to find them 

 on the banks of streams, vleis, &c., where they make 

 runs, like the Vlei Bats, and live upon vegetable matter 

 of all kinds, even devouring human excreta. This Mouse 

 has bred in the Pretoria Zoo, giving birth to two or three 

 young ones at a time. 



A second species (A. dorsalis) differs from the foregoing 

 by the presence of only one stripe along the back. 



