538 JSust African Forms 0/ Arvicanthis abyssinicus. 



(3) Arvicanthis abyssinicxis prceceps, subsp. n. 



Size rathor smaller than in nairohcp ; in colour quite re- 

 sembling that form, but with the yellow hands and feet of 

 ruhesc^7is. 



k?lsull in length as in nairohm ; markedly narrower and 

 more slightly built, bullaj conspicuously smaller, nasals rather 

 shorter, jiot appreciably expanded. 

 Dimensions of type : — 



Head and body 131 mm. ; tail 113 ; hind foot 25. 

 Skull: greatest length 33; basilar length 28; zygomatic 

 breadth 17; nasals length 12; interorbital breadth 1'5 ; 

 brain-case breadth 12*5 j diastema 8'5 ; upper molar tooth- 

 row Q'O. 



Hah. Naivasha. 



Type. Very old male. B.M. no. 0. 6. 21. .34. Original 

 number 14. Collected IGth December, 1899, and presented 

 to the Natural History Museum by Lord Delamere. 



Easily distinguishable from nairobe, which it closely re- 

 sembles in colour, by its rather smaller size, yellow hands and 

 feet, and much narrower and more slenderly built skull. In 

 both prcpceps and nuirohce the median black dorsal stripe is 

 practically absent. 



(4) Arvicanthis abyssinicus rubescens^ subsp. n. 



General colour-effect above between " bistre " and " van- 

 dyke-brown. ''^ Length and colour-pattern of dorsal hairs as 

 in tyfiical ahyfsimcu.s, but the pale tips darker ('' buff") and 

 pro);ortionally shorter, median dorsal stripe faint. Tail less 

 densely clothed than in the type form. Hands and feet 

 golden yellow. 



Skull rather smaller in all details, much more slenderly 

 built. 



Dimensions of the type : — 



Head and body 139 mm. ; tail 129 ; hind foot 31. 



Skull : greatest length 34; basilar length 28 ; zygomatic 

 breadth 17; nnsals length 13; interorbital breadth 5; brain- 

 case breadth 13"0 ; diastema 9'5; upper molar series 6"3. 



JJab. Kibero, Unyoro. 



'J'ype. Adult male. B.M. no. 2. 11. 1. 16. Original 

 number 48. Collected by Dr. W. J. Ansorge on 4th Au-ust, 

 1897. 



A dozen specimens from localities in Unyoro examined. 

 A series from Ankole and another from E. iiuwenzori seem 

 to belong to this form. In proportion to the body, the tail 



