388 On a new Dormouse from Mashunaland. 



XXXVI. — On a nPAo Dormouse from Mashunaland. 

 By Oldfield Thomas. 



Me. J. FFOLLIOTT Darling, wliose large collection of small 

 mammals from Mazoe, Mashunaland, has just been described 

 by Mr. de Winton ^. has, now that the war is over, recom- 

 menced work at Enkeldorn, hallway between Salisbury and 

 Buluwayo, whence he has sent to the National Museum a 

 further small consignment of mammals. Among these there 

 is one example of Herpestes coffer, one of Georych.as Darlingi, 

 and one of a dormouse which is clearly not the species he 

 sent fiom Mazoe, but a much larger and quite distinct one, 

 and which appears to be new. It may be called 



Graphiurus platyopSj sp. n. 



Allied and fairly similar in external appearance to G. 

 niurinus, but rather larger and with a more bushy tail, of 

 which the hairs are 25 to 28 millim. in length, and are brown, 

 broadly tipped with white. In other external characters, 

 colour, size and shape of ears, and character of fur, specimens 

 of G. murinus may be found quite to match the new form. 



Skull distinguished from that of G. murinus, as from that 

 of every other known dormouse, by its remarkable flatness 

 and breadth, which give it a most peculiar aspect. Tlie 

 flattening is most marked in the face, so that the vertical 

 height trom the palate to the nasion, measured with sliding 

 calipers, is only 5*2 millim., as against 6*0 millim. in the 

 smaller G. murinus. This difference of nearly a millimetre 

 in height, eonibined with a greater breadth both of brain-case 

 and zygomatic spread, makes a very material difference in 

 the general aspect. 



Looked at from above the muzzle appears broad and heavy, 

 especially across the lacrymal region ; nasals long; inter- 

 orbital region narrow; brain-case broad and depressed; ante- 

 orbital foiauiina widely open, molars small; palate ending 

 opposite the back of ?lJ. Bullee low and flattened. 



Dimensions of the type (an adult male), measured by the 

 collector in the flesh : — 



Head and body 106 millim. ; tail GO ; hind foot 23-3 ; 

 ear 14'2. 



Skull: basal hngth 26"6 ; basilar length from hensellon 

 24*2; zygomatic breadth 17; nasals 13x3"G; iuterorbital 



• r. Z. S. 1896, pp. 798-808. 



