1908.] MAMMALS FROM PORTUGUESE S.B. AFRICA. 171 



22. Mus CHRYSOPHILUS de Wint. 



d. 1821. $. 1830. 

 " Native name, ' Mpynya.' 

 "Common ; habits as elsewhere in S. Africa." 



23. Mus coucHA A. Sm. 



d . 1809, 1813, 1814, 1820, 1823, 1825, 1837, 1853. $ . 1805, 

 1815, 1831, 1856, 1884. 

 " Native name, ' Nhingo.' 

 '• Common ; habits as elsewhere in S. Africa." 



24. Cricetomys gambianus cunctator, sub^p. n. 



J. 1801, 1862, 1865, 1867, 1872. ?. 1849, 1864, 1866, 

 1873. 



Size and genei'al characters as in the races viator and adveutor 

 of C gambianus, between which it is geographically intermediate. 

 On the upper surface approaching nearest, in coloi'ation, to viator, 

 but the ochraceous on the flanks and shoulders brighter than in 

 that form, the white on the face limited to the upper lip at the 

 angle of the mouth, not spreading over the cheeks as in adventor ; 

 white tip less than ^ the length of the tail, as in viator, it is 

 moi'e than g in adventor. On the other hand, the colour of the 

 back gradually passes into that of the belly as in adventor, very 

 different to the comparatively sharp line of demarcation found in 

 viator. Belly-hairs tinged with yellowish, Avith pale slaty bases, 

 while in both the other forms they are pure white to their bases. 

 A patch of pure white on the chest. 



Skull and teeth as in adventor. 



Dimensions of the type : — 



Head and body 370 mm. ; tail 454 ; hind foot 71 ; ear 43. 



Skull: greatest length 76 mm. ; basilar length 64 ; zygomatic 

 breadth 36; nasals 31x10; interorbital breadth 11*5; palatal 

 foramina 9 ; length of vipper molar series 12. 



Tifpe. Adult male. B.M. No. 8.1.1.130. Original number 

 1862. Collected 6th April, 1907. 



Hah. Tambarara, Gorongoza Dist., Portuguese East Africa. 



Though it appears that cunctator has certain characters in 

 common with viator and others with adventor, and that there is 

 a considerable amount of individual variation in coloration, still 

 the yellowish tinge and slaty bases of the belly-hairs and the 

 constantly present pui-e white breast-patch serve to distinguish 

 thif5 race from either of its neighbours. 



" Native name, ' Kurvibini.' 



" Very common, especially in the forest, where it often lives 

 singly. 



" Its holes are often placed at the foot of some forest tree and 

 also amongst thick vegetation. 



" Nocturnal only and considered a great delicacy by the natives, 

 bv whom great numbers are taken." 



