802 MR, W. BE, DE WINTON ON SOMB RODENTS [Nov. 17, 
as the Museum has lately received specimens from the Transvaal 
collected by Dr. Percy Rendall, and it is possible that its range 
may extend still further south, as from the very little attention the 
small mammals have received since the time of the early discoverers, 
and owing to the bad state of preservation of many of the original 
types, this species has been overlooked. 
5. Mus AvRICcOMIS, sp. n. 
a. Ad. sk. g. Mazoe, Mashunaland, 9 August, 1895. 
jp. Ad. sk. o. Bs if Oe. » (type). 
Y: Ad. sk. 2 ‘ ” ” 19 ” ” 
“Testes larger than those of the larger species” (M. chryso- 
philus).—J. ff. D. 
Collector’s measurements, taken in the flesh, of type 95.11.3.21 
in Brit. Mus. :—Head and body 113 mm. ; tail 147 ; hind foot 24; 
ear 17. 
Skull: greatest length 31; breadth 15; across brain-case 
13-5; nasals 13x 4; frontals 9°5 ; parietals 5 ; interparietals 4 x 9 ; 
basal length 26:5; henselion to back of palate 13:5; palate to 
foramen mag. 10; incisor foramina 7°5; upper molar series 5:2 ; 
diastema 7°5; depth, parietals to bulle 11:1; mandible, height at 
coronoid 8-5 ; incisor-tips to condyle 20. 
The whole of the upper parts yellow-fawn, strongly sprinkled 
with black hairs; cheeks and sides and thighs almost pure fawn, 
showing considerable contrast to the darker dorsal region; the 
whole of the underparts, including the feet and hands, almost 
pure white ; the colours of the upper and under parts being clearly 
defined. The bases of the hairs of the back slate-colour (paler 
than in WM. chrysophilus), those of the underparts being pale grey 
only at the extreme bases. Ears moderate and naked, save for a 
few yellow hairs. Tail almost naked, but with a few very short 
adpressed hairs, which increase in number and length towards the 
tip ; scales in rings 11 to 10 mm., shining like mica in some lights, 
the basal half is indistinctly bicoloured, brown above, whitish 
beneath, the terminal portion unicoloured brown. 
Closely resembling M. chrysophilus in general characters, but 
distinctly smaller ; the colour is less rufous and more golden, with 
more contrast between the colours of the back and sides, and 
whereas the under-fur of M. chrysophilus is dark slate above and 
beneath, in this species it is grey-slate above and the underparts 
have this colour only at the bases of the hairs, or the hairs may be 
white throughout. 
This Rat no doubt is closely allied to Mus namaquensis, A. Smith, 
described in the 8. Afr. Quart. Journ. vol. ii. p. 160 as Gerbillus 
namaquensis ; it is distinguished, however, by its shorter ears and 
longer tail; the fur does not seem so soft, and is shorter. From 
M. peedulcus, Sund., it is distinguished by the coarser scales on the 
tail and the cusps of the molars are set in straighter cross rows, 
the teeth broader. 
