KUNGL, SV. VET. AKADBMIENS HANDLTNGAR. BAND 48. N:0 5. 27 



These letters are used in two different columns to express partly the distribu- 

 tion of the species with subspecies or closely allied forms, and partly that of the 

 genus or subgenus. It is clear that such an attempt to denote the geographical 

 distribution of some animals with some letters must be only approximate partly be- 

 cause the distribution of the animals is irregular and partly because our knowledge 

 in this matter still is very incomplete. I think, however, that this method in spite 

 of its deficiency may facilitate a general survey of the matter. 



In the first table (p. 7) those 33 mammals are enumerated which have been 

 found in cultivated land. These are of comparatively little interest from a zoogeo- 

 graphical point of view. The greatest number of them is East African, at least as 

 subspecies. Some few are widely distributed. But there are also some which extend 

 into the Central Lake district of the Western forest region, viz. Crocidura jumosa, 

 Oenetta stuhlmanni, Dendromys insignis, Leggada triton and Lophuromus aquilus. All 

 of these are, however, really to be regarded as more or less forest animals and they 

 have also been obtained by this expedition in the forests as well (conf. table p. 20, 21). 

 They have, however, remained and found suitable conditions of life even since the 

 natives have cleared away the forest to give place for their shambas. In the Kikuyu 

 and Meru countries the shambas as a rule are made, or have been made, on forest 

 land, even if they in the present time sometimes are rather far from the forest. 

 Arvicanihis pulchellus massaicus which mostly lives among bush is not a forest loving 

 animal but extends westwards to Ruwenzori and perhaps beyond. The genera of 

 these mammals have almost all a wide distribution only one (Zelotomys) is endemic 

 and one (Tachyoryctes) chiefly northeastern. 



On steppe land about 54 different mammals have been observed or collected 

 (conf. the table p. 10, 11). The exact number cannot be stated because in some instances 

 it could not be ascertained to which subspecies an observed animal belonged. Some 

 of these have been observed as well on the Athi plains as on the northern acacia- 

 steppe south of Guaso Nyiri but as the time which could be spent at both localities 

 was very short the list of small mammals especially is not complete. It might, 

 however, be expected that the most common and characteristic mammals are included. 

 Epomophorus wahlbergi is probably not to be regarded as a steppe mammal, although 

 it was found hanging' in bushes on the acacia steppe at Luazomela but a forest of 

 tall acacias and other trees was not far off. On the other hand probably some of 

 the small mammals from the hst of those observed in the cultivated region could 

 have been added. The greatest number or about 32 of these species or subspecies 

 belong to East Africa in a stricter sense, but 3 of them have near relatives in the 

 whole or the greater part of the Eastern Southern steppe region. Four have near 

 relatives ranging to South Africa. The Buffalo for instance is very closely related 

 to the typical Cape Buffalo, Saccostomus mearnsi is related to S. mashonce, Pedetes 

 surdaster to P. cafer, and the Zebra to the southern zebras of the burchelU group. 

 Two others have their near relatives not further south than in the Nyasa district 

 {Otomys angoniensis elassodon and Sylvisorex sorelloides). Three have their relatives 

 further northeast being subspecies of Abyssinian mammals {Tachyoryctes splendens 



