800 MR. W. B. DE WINTON ON SOME RODENTS [Nov. 17, 
Size much less than M. murinus. Colour above uniform grey, 
the only marking being a black patch commencing among the 
whiskers and extending to the eye, and continuing on to the eye- 
brows; the eyelids are black; the upper lips and cheeks white, 
this colour reaching to immediately beneath the eyes and ears; all 
the underparts are white; the under-fur above and below dark 
slate-colour; the hands and feet very small and slender, of not so 
pure a white as the belly; ears rather large, naked; tail sub- 
cylindrical, bicoloured, grey drab above and dirty white beneath, 
the hairs short near the base, very gradually lengthening till at 
the extremity they are 13 mm. in length; the light hairs of the 
underside exceed those of the upperside in length and so form 
a pale margin. 
The much larger ears and less bushy tail distinguish this species 
at a glance from M. smithi, Thos., besides the black marks on the 
cheeks and the greyer colour. As the tips of the hairs in this 
species are pale and colourless, and only the upper part of the 
tail shows any drab, it must be quite distinct from Z. kelleni, 
Reuvens, as also for the same reason from Z. parvus, True, with 
the addition that the under-fur of the cheeks and throat is dark 
slate-colour and not white. The ears are certainly not small for 
a Dormouse and there is no hair on them which is perceptible to 
the naked eye, so there is no colour on the borders which both 
these species are described as having. I may say that the 
measurement of the ear is taken from the notch, as in all specimens 
in this collection. 
Mr. Darling writes :—“I have been telling them (the natives) 
to get me some more dormice, but they say all those animals are 
gone away: I know they are scarce, but I may be able to get 
some. One hut I had on a bushy hill, a little chap used to live 
inside, and come down quite close and watch me reading as I lay 
in bed at night; if they eat insects he may possibly have come to 
catch them at the candle, but I never saw him do so.” 
2. GERBILLUS AFER, Gray. 
Eight specimens of both sexes and of various ages taken at 
Mazoe, Mashunaland, between the months of April and September, 
1895. 
“Fairly common. Native name ‘ Bendy.’ ”—J. ff. D. 
Collector’s measurements taken in the flesh, adult ¢:—Head 
and body 155 mm.; tail 166; hind foot 32; ear 20. 
This is a nice series, showing the various forms of colour from 
grey to foxy red. The bright colour on the cheeks and along the 
whole length of the body immediately above the white of the 
underparts makes its appearance at a very early age, but may 
not reach the dorsal region till long after the animal is full-grown 
and the teeth worn so as to show the complete pattern of the 
enamel of the first molars, and the animal has reared young ones ; 
thus it seems probable that many never assume the red colouring 
at all, as there are specimens almost black on the back with well- 
