Contribution to the Knowledge of the Cai)e Golden Moles. 295 



The animal measures (spirit specimen) : head and body 125 mm., 

 and hind foot 13-5. It is a female. 



The skull measures : Length, 26*5 ; breadth, 17"5 ; height, (?) ; 

 orbital region, 8-7 ; dental series, 11 ; molar series, 5"7 ; palatal 

 width, 8-2. 



Captured November 19, 1906. Albany Museum grounds. 



Specimen No. 398, Albany Museum, may be taken as a type of the 

 light variety. Fur all over distinctly lighter than in the other variety. 

 On the back this is mainly due to the long hairs being tipped with 

 reddish brown, though much of the flat portion may still be dark 

 brown. The face is lighter owing to the presence of numerous long 

 hairs having the tips light yellowish. On chin the fur is dirty 

 yellowish with merely a tinge of red. 



The animal measures (spirit specimen) : head and body 110 mm.,, 

 and hind foot 13 mm. Sex: female. 



The skull measures : Length, 25*5 ; breadth, 16'5 ; height, 13*5 ; 

 orbital region, 7*9 ; dental series, 10*3 ; molar series, 5 ; palatal 

 width, 7-5. 



Captured : Grahamstown. 



These two specimens may be taken as representing the ordinary 

 limits of variation of C. hottentotiis in size and colour as found at> 

 Grahamstown. 



If, now, we take the Grahamstown animal as representing the 

 typical form, the question arises as to what we are to regard as a 

 distinct variety. Thomas and Schwann have recently described, 

 under the name Amhlysomus hottentottus yondolice, the variety which 

 occurs in Pondoland at St. John's and other places. It is distinguished 

 as follows: "■ Similar to true A. hottentottus in size and other essential 

 characters, but the dorsal area, from crown to rump, is glossy blackish, 

 as in ^. iris, while the sides and under surface are still rufous, as in 

 true hottentottus. But even the belly, in the most strongly marked 

 examples, is of a rather smokier rufous than in the typical sub- 

 species." In the South African Museum there is a very large series 

 of specimens from St. John's and other places in Pondoland, collected 

 mainly by Mr. Shortridge. I have most carefully gone over all the 

 specimens, and do not think that any distinction can be drawn 

 between the St. John's specimens and those which occur at 

 Grahamstown. Most specimens pretty well answer to the descrip- 

 tion given by Thomas and Schwann, but from these dark forms 

 every variation is found to reddish specimens, which, as far as fur is 

 concerned, are identical with Grahamstown specimens. Of course, 

 it must be admitted that at Grahamstown the majority of specimens 

 are reddish, and at St. John's the majority very dark brown, but as. 



