Mr. O. Thomas on African Mole-Rats. 239 
in Damaraland occurs the larger G. damarensis, Ogilb , of 
which the type in the British Museum remains the only 
authentic specimen known, those referred to it from Central 
Africa, as appears below, being really different. 
Now on the plateau of Mashonaland, isolated by lower 
ground all round, there occurs the little species obtained by 
Messrs. Darling and Marshall, which may be called 
Georychus Darling?, sp. n. 
Size about as in G. cecutiens, Brants, to which I pro- 
visionally refer all the S.-African plain-coloured unspotted 
forms. Fur short, close, and velvety, barely 5 millim. in 
length on the back. General colour uniform drab *, modified 
by the slaty-grey bases of the hairs showing through. Belly 
precisely similar or rather more slaty. Crown with a large 
and prominent triangular white patch, averaging about 
14 millim. long by 8 wide, not extending along the nape ; 
remarkably similar in size and shape in all four specimens. 
Corners of mouth stained brown in some specimens, not so in 
others. Feet and tail as usual, the latter perhaps less broad 
than in G‘. cecutiens. 
Skull broad and heavy, with a large rounded brain-case. 
Nasals short, evenly expanded on each side, not constricted 
anteriorly, and running backwards to a point, which scarcely 
attains to the level of the lacrymal projection. Ascending 
processes of premaxillaries surpassing the nasals posteriorly 
by about 2 millim., broadened and closing in towards the 
middle line behind the nasals. Anteorbital foramina higher 
than broad, the base forming their outer boundary nearly as 
thick as that forming their floor. Molars as usual. 
Dimensions of the type (¢), measured in the flesh by the 
collector :— 
Head and body 128 millim. ; tail 12; hind foot 22. 
Skull: basal length 28°6 ; basilar length to henselion 26:8 ; 
greatest breadth 22°6 ; nasals 10°8 x 3:1; interorbital breadth 
10; intertemporal breadth 7; supra-auricular breadth 14:1 ; 
height of anteorbital foramen 3; palate length from henselion 
19°3 ; diastema 10°1; upper molar series 5°7. 
Hab. Plateau of Mashonaland: type from Salisbury, 
5000 feet; others from Mazoe, 4000 feet. 
Type: B.M. 95.7.16.4. Collected May 14, 1895. 
Although this species is compared in the description with 
G. cecutiens, as the best-known species of the group, it is 
probably really most nearly allied to G. damarensis, which 
* Nearest to the “drab-grey ” of Ridgway. 
rs 
