1896.] ON A NEW nODBNT OF THE GENUS LOPHUBOMYS. 607 



4. On a new Rodent of the Genus Lophuromys from British 

 East Africa. By W. E. de Winton, F.Z.S. 



[Received May 15, 1896.] 



(Plate XXVII.) 



In a small series oi mammals presented to the National Col- 

 lection by Dr. W. J. Ansorge, Medical OtTicer 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. 



LoPHrEOMTS ANSOKQEi, sp. n. (Plate XXVII.) 

 ■ 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 stifi carael'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. 



Hah. 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 Uke 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 thesegment 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 

 aquilce, as it 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 



