546 MESSRS. THOMAS AND WROUGHTON ON [May 26, 



Collection from the South-West Transvaal, Bechuanaland Orange 

 River Colony, Basutoland, and as far south as Deelfontem and 

 ■Kins William's Town, in Cape Colony {i. e., about 33 b. lat.). 

 Mr Sclater in his ' Mammals of South Africa records it from 

 the' Cape and Namaqualand, but Mr. Grant failed to obtain it 

 in either of these localities. o c. i * 



We are doubtful if Mus coucha zuluensts ihos. & bchw. ■ can 

 be retained as a subspecies distinct from true 3L microdon, with 

 which its describers had not an opportunity of comparing it. 



" Native name, ' Xtisha.' 



" Abundant everywhere ; habits similar to those ot At coiccha 

 zuluensis." — C. H. B. G. 



23. Mus CHRYSOPHiLUS iNEPTUS, subsp. n. 

 J . 1949, 1950, 1963, 1971. $ . 1978, 1989. 

 Like true chrysojyhilus, but with lower skull and narrower 

 brain-case. 



Size as in the typical form, but hind foot on the average shorter 

 and tail proportionally longer. Colour also as in chrysophilus but 

 paler, the slaty bases of the hairs markedly paler both above and 

 below. 



Skull about the same length as in the type form, but markedly 

 narrower and flatter; the brain-case much smaller; the whole 

 skull lower, height from alveolus of m" to crown 9 mm. against 

 10 in true M. chrysophilihs. 

 Dimensions of type : — 



Head and body 148 mm. ; tail 182 ; hind foot 27 ; ear 21. 

 Skull — greatest length 37 ; basilar length 29 ; zygomatic 

 breadth 17; brain-case breadth 13; nasals length 16; diastema 

 9-5 ; molars 5*7. 



Hah. Tette, Portuguese East Africa. 



Type. Old male. B.M. no. 8.4.3.73. Original number 1949. 

 Collected 22nd August, 1907. 



In the series of 7 specimens obtained by Mr. Grant several have 

 broken tails, but in those which are complete, the head and body 

 varying between 145 and 150 mm., the tail reaches 180, whereas 

 in typical M. chrysophilus specimens of the same size have a tail- 

 length of about 170. The greatest breadth and brain-case breadth 

 in the type skull of the species are recorded by Mr. de Winton as 

 18 and 15 mm. respectively; a comparison with the similar 

 measurements given for this local race shows how markedly 

 narrow its skull is ; moreover, in ti'ue M. chrysoj^hilus the 

 greatest breadth is at the posterior end of the zygomatic arch, 

 while in M. c. inejJtus it is across its anterior end. The type is 

 distinctly older than the individual described by Mr. de Winton. 

 " Native name, ' Kwisikwisi.' 



" EaMy common and inhabiting both the bush and the native 

 lands."— C. H. B. G. 



'* P Z. S. 1905, 1. p. 268. 



