Mainitiiils jroin Nyasaland. 180 



touch them. They are bad liouse pests, nesting ahnost any- 

 where in houses, and doing great damage to foodstuH's, 

 fabrics, etc. In the low country they are otten badly infested 

 with the larvae of the 'mputsi'-fly {Cordylobia and Auch- 

 meromyia) — uiyiasis, — chiefiy in the feet, which 1 have seen 

 swollen to a terrible size and suppurating, practically every 

 rat killed in the house being attacked." 



49. Mus 7)ntsculus, Liini. 



(T . 279, 283, 286, 42i ; ? . 2l»5. Cholo. 



" Common everywhere in the highlands. Have not met 

 with it in the lower country. 



" Native name ' Tsibwi.' This is probably a Ngoni word, 

 also used by the Mang'anja of liuo district. '^ 



50. Leggada bella marica, Thos. 



cJ . 337. Cliironio. 



c?. 293, 3;.2, 353, 3G('., 406, 409, 411, 413, 423, 427; 

 ? . 351, 354, 412, 414, 415, 418, 419, 428. Cholo. 



" Very common throughout the highlands, where it is 

 found in holes in the ground and among refuse, particularly 

 in native gardens and maize-fields, where it makes small 

 nests of grass among the maize-stems and fallen grass. It is 

 also very common in the o])en type of 'msuku' {Uapaca 

 Jcirki) forest found all over the highlands of Nyasaland. It 

 is said by the natives often to close the mouth of its burrow 

 with small stones, and it stores grain in chambers in the 

 burrow. 



''Native name ' Pido.' " 



51. Cncetomys gaiuLianus subsp. 



(J. 30G, 308, 331; ? . 332. No locality given. (ISkulIs 

 only.) 



"Lives in huge burrows often twenty yards or so in length 

 near the banks of mountain-streams. Fairly common all 

 over the highlands. Makes great depredations among the 

 native maize-crops, storing up immense quantities of grain in 

 chambers in its burrow. It is tra|){)ed by the natives with 

 iall-traps of logs of wood, and is eaten by all tribes. Does 

 not appear to exist in the low fiat country of the Shiie River, 

 but only where there are hills. Given that factor, it is found 

 at all elevations. Its place appears to be taken on the low 

 jdains by the cane-rat (Thrgonomt/s). 



"Native name ' Bwaujpini.' " 



