MAMMALS COLliECTED ON THE ORANGE RIVER. 495 



in hollow branches, the entrances to which are guarded by large 

 conspicuous structures of sticks, one of these, which was about 

 fifteen feet from the ground, measuring over six feet in length ; 

 while another was built under the roof of a seldom-used Kaffir 

 hufc. I did not find this species plentiful, although it is said at 

 times to occur in comparatively large numbers." 



25. Saccostomus nxhUM Schw. 



J, 59, 161, 182. $.98,127. Louisvale. 



These specimens agree closely with the original series from 

 Kuruman, but our attention has been drawn to the set from 

 Molopo and Lehutitung, in the real Kalahari, determined by 

 Oapt. Dollman as S, anderssoni de Wint.*, which he distinguishes 

 from hildce. by the slightly lighter colour of the adults and mvxch 

 lighter colour of the young, specimens of a similar age being 

 present in both sets. 



In this separation we quite agree with him, but not as to the 

 reference of the Kalahari form to the Damaraland species, the 

 difference in colour being in our opinion sufficient for the dis- 

 tinction of the two. We therefore now describe 

 Saccostomus pagei, sp. n. 



General colour above very light, nearly matching Eidgway's 

 "drab- grey," still paler on the sides, much paler and less buflfy 

 than in S. anderssoni, rather paler than in S. hildce. Half-grown 

 specimens like the adults or even paler, while in S. hildce these 

 are markedly darker than their parents. 

 Other characters as in S. hildce. 

 Dimensions of the type, measured in the flesh : — 

 Head and body 124 mm. ; tail 53 ; hind foot 19 ; ear 18. 

 Skull : greatest length 33 ; condylo-incisive length 31 ; upper 

 molar series 48. 



Hah. Kalahari and Northern Bechuanaland. Type from 

 Lehutitung, 3300' ; other specimens from the Molopo River. 

 3000'. 



Type. Adult male. B.M. No. 10. 6. 3. 54. Original number 

 18. Collected 18 May, 1909, by R. B. Woosnam. Nine 

 specimens. 



The striking difierence in the colour of the young is the main 

 reason for distinguishing this animal from S. hildce. In S. ander- 

 ssoni the adult is decidedly darker. 



We have named this Kalahari species after Mr. John Page, 

 one of the Kaffrarian Museum Trustees, to whom Capt. Shortridge 

 has been very much indebted for help in many ways both in 

 regard to his King William's Town work, and especially in relation 

 to his collecting trip to the Kalahari region. 



" Fairly plentiful, but pi'obably owing to the fact that other 

 small rodents occurred in greater numbers in similar localities, 

 not often trapped. 



Noctui-nal ; attracted by cultivation. 



* Ann. & Mag. N. H. (8) vi. p. 398, 1910. 



