802 Mil. W. E. DEWINTON ON S0MI3 nOBENTS [Nov. 17, 



as the Museum has lately received specimens from the Transvaal 

 collected by Dr. Percy Eendall, and it is possible that its range 

 may extend still further south, as from the very little attention the 

 small mammals have received since tlie 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 AUEicoMis, sp. n. 



a. Ad. sk. c? • Mazoe, Mashunaland, 9 August, 1895. 



/3. Ad. sk. d. „ „ 19 „ „ (type). 



y. Ad. sk. S . „ „ 19 „ „ 



" Testes larger than those of the larger species " (ilf, cliryso- 

 jihilus). — 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 j 

 ear 17. 



Skull : greatest length 31 ; breadth 15 ; across brain-case 

 13-5 ; nasals 13 x 4 ; frontals 9-5 ; parietals 5 ; interparietals 4x9; 

 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 bullae ll'l ; 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 M. chrysopldlns), 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 tlio 

 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. chrysopldhts 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. chrysophihts is dark slate above and 

 beneath, m 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 Eat no doubt is closely allied to 3Ius namaquensis, A. Smith, 

 described in the S. Afr. Quart. Journ. vol. ii. p. 160 as Oerhillus 

 namaquensis ; it is distinguished, however, by its shorter ears and 

 longer tail ; the fur does not seem so soft, and is shorter. From 

 M. iimdulcus, 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. 



