262 



THE ETHIOPIAN REGION. 



[CHAP. 



there are no less than sixteen 

 northern Somaliland, of which the 



1. Bubalis swaynei. 



2. Madoqua swaynei. 



3. phillipsi. 



4. ,, guentheri. 



5. Oreotragus saltator. 



6. Dorcatragus megalotis. 



7. Cobus ellipsiprymnus. 



8. Gazella pelzelni. 



species of antelopes found in 

 names are as follows, viz. : 



9. Gazella spekei. 



10. ,, soemmerringi. 



11. Ammodorcas clarkei. 



12. Lithocranius walleri. 



13. Oryx beisa. 



14. Tragelaphus decula. 



15. Strepsiceros kudu. 



1 6. imbubis. 



Among these Nos. i, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, n are quite peculiar to this 

 district, while No. 12, which, like Nos. 6 and n, is the sole repre- 

 sentative of its genus, is only found elsewhere along the east coast 

 as far south as the Tana river. Another generic form peculiar to 

 Somaliland is Heterocephalus, including two small naked rodents 

 with burrowing habits ; while in the same order the single species 

 of Pectinator is restricted to this district. Among species may be 

 mentioned two musk-shrews (Crocidura smithi and C. somalica), a 

 hedgehog (Erinaceus sclateri), as well as a banded mungoose 

 (Crossarchus somalicus). The Somali ostrich seems likewise to 

 represent a species by itself. On the other hand, in addition to 

 those mentioned in the foregoing list of antelopes, there are 

 several East or South African mammals, such as the aard-wolf, 

 which range into Somaliland, and further evidence is perhaps 

 desirable before the right of that country to form a separate sub- 

 region can be admitted. 



The case is more clear with regard to south-eastern Arabia, 

 whence Mr O. Thomas 1 records the following fifteen species of 

 land-mammals, viz. : Xantharpyia amplexicaitdata, Taphozous nudi- 

 ventriS) Rhinopoma microphyllum, Erinaceus niger, Crocidura 

 murina, Herpestes albicauda, Cants pallipes, C. leucopus, Gerbillus 

 dasyurus, Mus rattus, Lepus omanensis, Gazella muscatensis, Oryx 

 beatrix, Hemitragus jayakari, and Procavia syriaca. Of these Mr 

 Thomas remarks that their geographical relationships " are, as 

 might be expected, about equally with Africa and India, three of 



1 Proc. Zool. Soc. 1894, p. 449. In one case the generic title has been 

 altered, in order to bring it into harmony with the system followed in this work. 



