490 MESSRS. OLDFIELB THOMAS AND M. A. C. HINTON ON 



These specimens are quite unlike those of G. capensis pre- 

 viously in the Museum, and show, by their pale cinnamon-buffy 

 colour, that the Groimd Squirrel of the Kalahari and Nama- 

 qualand should be subspecifically distinguished from the ordinary 

 more brownish form of the rest of the colony. 



Although Lichtenstein's description of his Soiurus namaquensis^ 

 is curiously inapplicable to Geoscmrus — " corporo supra nigro ; 

 subtus brunneo," yet the locality, the presence of white lateral 

 lines, and the universal assignation of his name to the Cape 

 Ground Squirrel, seem to render it certain that it really was 

 referable to this animal, and we can only suppose that he had a 

 vexy dirty specimen in the old Ilolthuisen collection. This 

 squirrel is also the Scmrus levaillantii of Kuhl. 



" Plentiful, diurnal, gregarious. 



During the hot weather their coats become particularly short 

 and ragged. 



There is no doubt that Geosciurus, Cijnictis, and also Saricata 

 where it occurs, frequently inhabit the same warrens, as traps 

 often catch them alternately. 



Probably the thickness of their skins, in addition to their 

 unusually great muscular strength, protect them to a great extent 

 from the smaller carnivores. These squirrels are savage, and in 

 captivity do not make good pets, as they are uncertain in temper." 



17. TaTERONA MILIARIA STELL^E Wr. 



J. 49, 69,200, 240, 243, 246, 247, 263. $. 50, 51, 158, 

 212, 215, 286, 312. 



These specimens average paler than the original series from 

 Kuruman, but this would seem to be due to seasonal bleaching, 

 as Mr. Woosnam's skins were collected in April and May, and 

 the present set in full summei- — November to January. 



" Plentiful. Social, rather than gregarious. Attracted by 

 cultivation. Nocturnal. Away from settlements chielly occurring 

 along the beds of dry water-courses. 



Their burrows, which are easy to find, are excavated among tiie 

 thick scrubby bushes that grow in such localities." 



18. Desmodillus auricularis a. Sm. 



c? . 171, 175, 210, 225, 234, 238, 239, 300, 302, 317. 2 . 176, 

 178, 179, 205, 209, 216, 217, 232, 233, 237, 298, 299, 301, 319. 

 Louisvale. 2600'. 



d. 349. $. 338. Augrabies Falls. 



I^'hese specimens vary very considerably in colour, many being 

 as pale as the Kalahari D. a. pudicus l")ollm., while others closely 

 match the true D. auricularis. It wouhl seem therefore that we 

 are here on the meeting ground of the two forms. 



There seems a tendency for the darker coloured animals to have 



* Cat. Rer. Nat. p. 2, 1793. 



