SiPamp'Rats of East Africa. 



IG.' 



Skull: greatest length 38*2* mm.; basilar length '^2 ; 

 zygomatic breadth l\)G ; breailth of braiii-caso ]'y7 ; length 

 ot" nasals IS ; greatest breadth across nasals O'T) ; depth from 

 highest point of orbit to alveolar border at front of m^ 120; 

 palatihir length 17*1 ; length of upper nif>lar series from 

 froJit alveolar border to back of last molar 9'7. 



IJuh, N}ika Plateau, North Nyasa. Altitude GOOO-7000 

 feet. 



Type. Adult male. B.M. no. 97. 10. 1. 107. 



Otoniys ni/ik<n is evidently closely related to the South 

 Nyasa species, (J.atigoniensis ; both forms are very similar in 

 general colour, the ventral surface being more strongly tinted 

 with brownish buff" in these two Otomys than in any of tho 

 other East African forms. In size nyikiB is rather smaller ; 

 the skulls may bo distinguished by the shape of the nasals, 

 those of ny'diB being exceptionally broad and Hat and compara- 

 tively short, while in auyoniensis they are narrower, rather 

 more curveil, and longer. 



(17) Otomys nyikce canescens, Osg. 



Ofotni/s nyikte cmiescois, Osgood, Field Mus. Nat. Hist. Publication, 111, 

 Zool. Ser. vol. x. no. 2, p. 10 (1910). 



Agrees with 0. nyilce in having a short thick skull with 

 short, very broad nazals. 



General colour much paler and greyer ; on the dorsid 

 surface there is an almo.st entire absence of the russet tint 

 so conspicuous in nyikce, its place being taken by a pale olive- 

 grey wash. 



Skull like that of nyih'P, with broadly expanded nasals ; 

 teeth lairly large, in with 7 laminae. 



Dimensions of type (as given by Osgood) : — 



H-'jtd and body 17.5 mm. ; tail 8i ; hind foot 2\) (c. u.) ; 

 ear 19*5. 



Skull: greatest length 37*2; basilar length 30-9; zygo- 

 matic breadth IIVG ; length of nasals 17'1 ; greatest breadth 

 of nasals 8*5 ; depth from highest point of orbit to alveolar 

 border at front of m U2*8 ; postpalatal length liJ'S ; maxillary 

 tjoth-row 8*4. 



In a specimen from Mt. Suswa, quite close to the tvpe- 

 locality, the upper molar series niea.sures from the front 

 alveolar border to the back f)f m* 9 mm. in length, 



llah. Kijabe, Naivasha District, British East Afiiea. 



This race is represented in the collection by specimens 



• In Wroughtun's original dci^cription, the skull-Jiuieusions gi\en Aie> 

 not those of the type. 



