H)(I2.] JIAxMMALS FROM TRITOU. 3 



Science and the Museum if they would collect any mammals, 

 however common, at the places they go to. 



Mr. Dodson left the town of 'Tripoli on April 2nd, 1901, 

 and travelled southwards by way of Sokna to Murzuk, then 

 returned to Sokna, and from there travelled north-eastwards to 

 the Syrt district, whei-e he worked eastwards along the coast 

 to Ben-Ghazi. 



His localities are thvis divisible into four groups, as follows : — 



I. Inland country north of Sokna. March 1901 and middle 

 of June to middle of Jul}-. Specimens collected at Tarhuna, 

 Wadi Sofedjin, W.^ Nefed ; W. Bey ; Bonjem ; Erdeid ; Ain 

 Hammam ; W. Titti ; W. Agarib ; W. Wagis ; Oumsinerma ; 

 Limhursuk ; Gebel Binsei-tia. 



This is a desert region, without maiked elevations ; interspersed 

 with small oases. 



II. Soda Mountain district just south of Sokna (28° 55' IST., 

 16° 15' E.). Beginning of May and second week of June. 

 Localities. Tamari-Ferdjan ; W. Sultan ; Getefa; Linzeiat. 



The Soda Mountains rise to about 3000 ft. above the general 

 level of the plain, not high enough thei-efoi-e to have an>^ noticeaT^le 

 .climatic or faunal peculiaiity. There is a map of this distinct in 

 liohlfs 'Kufia' (1881). 



III. Level and descending country southwanls to Mui'zuk 

 (sea-level or below). Localities. Shup ; Oum el Abid ; Ziglien ; 

 Sebha ; Ghodua ; Murzuk. 



TV. Coast disti'ict eastwards from Syi-t towards Ben Ghazi. 

 End of Jvily and beginning of August. W. Aggai- ; Elcusher ; 

 Bon Cheifa ; Sidi Sweya ; Sidi Faradje. 



From a geogi-aphical standpoint, therefore, the region traversed 

 is of a vei-y good repi-esentative character. But, zoologically, 

 there must be many more species which, on account of thehui-iied 

 nature of the march, and the difficulties in collecting in so wild 

 and semi-hostile a country, must have been missed by Mr. Dodson 's 

 party. Indeed, under the circumstances it is sui-prising how 

 admirable a collection has been made. 



As might be expected fi'om the position of Ti'ipoli between 

 Egypt and Algeria, and the homogeneous nature of all three 

 regions, the mammals have no marked geneial affinity or 

 peculiarity. Some, such as Acomys, Gerbillus 2nira7)vidum, 

 G. eato?ii, and Lipodillus vivax, are Egyptian in affinity ; and 

 others, notably the Gtenodactylus, are distinctly Algei'ian ; but 

 these affinities are evidently only the eastwai-d and westwai-d ex- 

 tensions, hitherto unknown, of Algei'ian and Egyptian forms, and 

 there seems to be no special faunal relationship with either- of 

 the two countiies moi-e than the other. 



The pi-opoi'tionate number of new forms in the collection is 

 remarkable, the most notable being the Ctenodactylus and the 

 fine Hare which I have named in honour of Mr. Whitaker, to whose 

 enterprise and generosity the expedition is due, and who is to be 

 congratulated on its veiy successful outcome. 



1 W. = Wadi. 



1* 



