1896.] ON A NEW RODENT OF THE GENUS LOPHUROMYS, 607 
4. On a new Rodent of the Genus Lophuromys from British 
East Africa. By W. E. pz Winton, F.Z.S. 
[Received May 15, 1896.] 
(Plate XX VII.) 
In a small series of mammals presented to the National Col- 
lection by Dr. W. J. Ansorge, Medical Officer to Her Majesty’s 
Government in Uganda, who is now home on leave, I find two 
specimens of a very handsome mouse of the genus Lophuromys new 
to science, which I propose to name in honour of the collector. 
LoPHUROMYS ANSORGEI, sp. n. (Plate XXVIL.) 
The whole of the upper parts of the head and body smooth 
dark chocolate colour, with no markings whatever ; the underparts 
uniform pale cinnamon; the feet dark above and below; the tail 
black-brown, slightly greyer beneath, especially basally, rather short 
and thick, covered with hair, but not densely enough to conceal 
the scales; ears moderate, rounded, covered with close short hairs. 
On parting the fur of the upper parts it will be found that the 
tips only of the hairs are dark, shading gradually into bright tan 
at the bases; there is no underfur; all the hairs are perfectly 
straight, of a uniform length and of very much the consistency of 
a stiff camel’s-hair brush. 
Measurements taken from dried skin:—Head and _ body 
135 mm.; tail 49 mm.; pes 22 mm.; forearm and hand 33 mm. 
Skull: greatest length 33°5 mm., greatest breadth 17 mm. ; 
basifacial length 20 mm.; basicranial length 10 mm.; incisive 
foramina—length 6°5 mm., breadth 2°8 mm.; nasals—length 
15 mm., breadth 3°5 mm.; upper molar series 5°5 mm.; lower molar 
series 5 mm.; mandibles, from condyle to incisor tips, 24 mm. 
Hab. Mumia’s, Kavirondo, N.E. of Lake Victoria. 
Type no. 96. V. 8. 1, in Brit. Mus. 
The nearest ally of this species is most likely L. sikapusi from 
West Africa, but it is easily distinguished by its rather larger size 
and much darker and handsomer colouring. 
Seen through a lens, each hair is flattened like a blade of grass, 
tapering abruptly to a sharp point at either end; some of the 
hairs are flat, others have the edges turned over so that the cross 
section forms the segment of a circle. The claws are long and 
straight : these and the hairy nose and other peculiarities of the 
genus are well described by Mr. F. W. True (Proc. Nat. Mus. 
‘Washington, 1892, vol. xv. p. 460), in his description of Mus 
aquilus, which no doubt should be referred to this genus. I 
should like also to suggest that Mr. True’s name should be altered to 
aquile, asit was derived from the fact of the specimen having been 
killed by a bird of the eagle tribe. I may mention that there is 
in the British Museum a specimen which seems to agree with the 
