264 Mr. 0. Thomas oti GerUh 



tlie plateau by richardi *, and soutli of tlie Atlas bj guyoni. 

 Then the large-buUa gfoup h is represented south of the 

 Atlas by schoushoei (a form doubtfully separable from lihycus), 

 but is not found to the north of the range. 



AYoiking eastwards, we have in Tripoli local representatives 

 of a, 6, and c ranging widely over tlie country, which is not 

 broken \x\) by any prominent orographical features. Two of 

 these seem to need new subspecitic names. 



Next, in Egypt we have first of all the comparatively 

 bushy-tailed animal, called quite unaccountably byde Wintonf 

 " J7. crassus sellysii " {sic), which was obtained by Mr. N. C. 

 Rothschild in the Wadi Natron, and which I identify with 

 Meriones libycus, Lichtenstein, the first African name in the 

 genus, but one hitherto altogether ignored. The locality, 

 dimensions, and the " caudS, apice floccosa " all agree with 

 the Wadi Natron animal, and there seems no reason to doubt 

 the identification. 



With libycus I also synonymize RiippeU's melanurus, 

 which has been a prime source of confusion, for not only did 

 he include both Alexandria and Sinai as its habitat, but he 

 sent out specimens under its name which are referable to 

 forms of both grouj) h and group c. For of the two examples 

 of it that he sent to the British Museum no. 42. 8. 15. 2 is 

 the bushy-tailed b species, while 42. 8. 15. 6 belongs to c. 



In consequence, it appears to be necessary now for me, as 

 the fii'st reviser who has a knowledge of the mixture of the 

 two specieSj definitely to determine on to vvliich the name 

 melanurus shall be placed, 



I therefore ))ropose formally to apply it to the one with a 

 prominently black-tufted tail, as Riippell evidently meant, 

 making the name itself suitable, even though then becoming 

 synonymous with libycus. 



The other course would result in the species with the least 

 black on its tail bearing the inajipropriate name melanurus. 



In order to make this definite I propose to select as a 

 lectotype of melanurus B.M. no. 42. 8. 15. 2, sent as a co-type 

 of it by Riippell in conjunction with 42. 8. 15. 6, which is 



• In dealing with Loche'i many names, applied to animals vtdtli exact 

 localities recorded, but without any mention of the bullse, I have thought 

 it best, in view of the admirable pioneer work he has done on the 

 prenus, to accept Lataste's reference of them to their respective groups 

 (h\B '' shawi'' being c group and his erythrurus b group), and then to 

 take the first name in each group according to its locality, and so identify 

 them. 



t Nov. Zool. X. p. 284 (1903). The type otselysiiwas from Oran, and 

 the name is an absolute synonym of shuici. On the other hand, crassus 

 was from Siuai, and is a wholly different species, belonging to group a. 



