554 COL. TEEBUKT AND KB. o. THOMAS ojf [June 18, 



29. MUS BACTBIANUS, Blyth. 



a. $ ? Lahej. 13. III. 95. 



A pair were found nesting in a tree in the Sultan's garden at Lahej 

 on the above date : the female was secured, but the male escaped. 

 This was the only occasion on which the species was met with. 

 The nest was in a hollow tree and was made of fine twigs and 

 leaves of the Behr tree (Zizi/phus, sp.). 



This is the ordinary oriental representative of Mvs miisailus, of 

 which it no doubt merely constitutes a subspecies. The typical 

 21. musculus probably occurs in Aden itself, introduced from the 

 shipping. Indeed " mice " were said to be common in the Hotel 

 d'Europe, although Terbury failed to captui'e any of them. 



30. ACOMTS DIMIDIATUS, Eiipp. 



rt. d- Aden. 21.11.95. 



b. 2 • Aden. 24. II. 95. 



c. Lahej. 10. III. 95. 



d. d . Lahej. 13. III. 95. 



e. Haithalhim. 25. III. 95. 



The first two specimens are cleai'ly A. dimidiatus, but the last 

 three are more doubtful, and will need re-examination when 

 further material is available. 



Probably common. The Aden specimens were trapped round the 

 house ; the others at the earths of Meriones rex. 



31. HxsTEix LEuctJEA, Sykes. 



a. 6 . Haithalhim. 23. III. 95. 



The capture of this specimen is of much interest, as it was quite 

 unknown what species of Porcupine occurred at Aden. The skull 

 proves to be very similar to that of Indian examples of H. Jeucura, 

 and wholly different to the inflated skulls of the African Porcupines 

 H. cristata, H. galeata, and If. africce australis. This resemblance to 

 11. ZeKCwa confirms the reference of i/. hirsutirostris, Wagn., which 

 was based on a Palestine specimen, to the Indian species. 



Dr. Matschie was perhaps rather venturesome in referring the 

 Aden Porcupine to the South-African species, as he only had 

 spines for examination, and these vary so much in different parts 

 of the body as to be exceedingly difficult to make much of when 

 loose and of uncertain origin. 



Porcupines are very common (judging from the number of tracks) 

 round Lahej and Haithalhim, but being nocturnal are seldom, if 

 ever, seen. They are also very shy and cautious animals and will 

 not, as a rule, enter a trap, therefore the way the above specimen was 

 circumvented may be of interest. On arrival at Haithalhim tracks 

 of Porcupines were found in everv direction, and an attempt was 

 made to shoot one by watching during the night, but without 

 success ; it was noticed, however, that the animals followed a path 

 leading up from the bed of the Wady Kubeen to the cultivated 

 grouuds above, and an examination of the path in the morning 



