262 MESSRS. OLDFIELD THOMAS AND M. A. C. HINTON ON 



Skull : greatest length 31 "5 mm. ; condylo-incisive length 28*5 ; 

 zygomatic breadth 15*7; nasals 12"5; palatal foi'amina 6"3 ; 

 bulla 9 ; upper molar series 4'4. 



Hah. Jebel Marra, above 6000'. Type from 9500'. 



Type. Adult female. B.M. No. 23. 1. 1. 212. Original number 

 <)82. Collected December 3, 1921. 



" Lives under rocks ; feeding on grass and flower-seeds. These 

 animals appear to be strictly nocturnal." — W. P. L. 



This Gerbil is of considerable interest, for v/hile it is nearly 

 allied to tlie Algerian and Saharan D. campesiris, no I'elative of 

 it is recorded from anywhere near Darf uf ; nor did the Lynes- 

 Lowe expedition obtain a single specimen of the group in all the 

 low country round Jebel Marra., so tha,t we may be confident that 

 it is really isolated high up on the mountain. In the plains its 

 place would seem to be taken by Taterillus hutleri, which, like 

 other Gerbils, is pale sandy-coloured, while the present animal 

 has become darkened to suit its rocky environment, just as has 

 happened with Lemniscorys lynesi and other memlDers of the 

 mountain fauna. 



We have much pleasure in naming it after Mr. Willonghby 

 Lowe, to whose energy the great extent of the Darfur marnmal 

 collection is mainly due. 



40. DlPODILLUS PRINCIPULUS, Sp. n. 



$ . 1119. El Malha, Jebel Maidob, N. Darfur. 2700'. 

 S . 1127. 90 miles N.E. of El Fasher. 



A bright bufFy species with long tail and swollen brain-case. 



Size medium, about as in D, stigmonyx. General colour bright 

 sandy bujQfy, without the slight dorsal da,rkening generall}^ found 

 in stigmonyx. Sides and posterior part of rump above tail without 

 slaty bases to the hairs, these being white with bufFy tips. A 

 white patch behind eye and another behind ear. Ears buffy. 

 Hands and feet Avhite, the soles naked. Tail longer and rather 

 more bushy than in stigmonyx, the upper surface lined buflfy 

 brown, the lower side white ; terminal two-fifths with a well- 

 marked brownish pencil. 



Skull about as long as in stigmonyx, but much more swollen 

 posteriorly, the brain-case more convex above and considerably 

 broader ; bullae much larger. Palatal foramina shorter. Molars 

 about as in that species. 



Dimensions of the type (measured in the flesh) : — 



Head and body 73 mm. ; tail 115; hind foot 21 ; ear 11. 



Skull : greatest length 26*3 ; condylo-incisive length 23 ; 

 7;ygomatic breadth 14"5; breadth of brain-case 13; height from 

 crown to lowest point of bulla lO'B ; palatal foramina, anterior 4*] , 

 posterior 2*4; bulla 10x5*5; bi-meatal breadth 14; upper 

 molar series 3*5. 



Hah. N. Darfur. Type from El Malha, Jebel Maidob. 

 2700'. 



