68 EINAE LONNBERG, MAMMALS COLLECTED BY THE SWEDISH ZOOLOGICAL EXPEDITION ETC. 



This Mungoose is probably nearly related to M. s. ibece but it is smaller, the 

 length of the hind foot of the latter being 60 ram., to maximum 57 mm. in the pre- 

 sent subspecies. With regard to the colour the Mungoose from the thornbush country 

 north of Guaso Nyiri evidently is paler than its relative in the Kikuyu country. 

 The skull is also smaller in the present subspecies than in M. s. ibece. 



Perhaps there is also a close relationship between this Mungoose and M. s. 

 gracilis, but the latter has a larger hind foot, longer tail and smaller skull. The 

 colour is perfectly different as well. There is in these specimens from Guaso Nyiri 

 no likeness whatever in colour with Ruppell's figure of Herpestes gracilis,^ nor can 

 they be termed »gelbgrau!> (Ruppell 1. c. p. 29), nor »pinkish drab» (Wboughton 

 1. c. p. Ill & 116). 



In spite of these differences there is no doubt that gracilis, ibece and the pre- 

 sent specimens only represent geographical modifications of the same animal. This 

 Mungoose was rather common in the thornbush along the northern bank of Guaso 

 Nyiri below Chanler Falls. 



Just south of Fort Hall in a place where high grass grew on both sides of the 

 road I saw during the march at four different opportunities small Mungooses run 

 across the road beyond range for the shotgun. As Fort Hall is the type locality of 

 Mungos gracilis ibece Wroxtghton there can be no doubt that these animals belonged 

 to the species mentioned which accordingly must be common there. A couple of 

 times a glimpse of similar animals was seen in shambas near Kutu and at some 

 other localities. 



Mungos sanguineus orestes Heller. 



Heller: Smiths. Misc. Coll. Vol. 56 N:o 17 p. 15, "Washington 1911. 



A specimen closety agreeing with Heller's description of the type specimen 

 from Kenia of this Mungoose was caught at Meru boma Va 1911. The measurements 

 of the skull as well agree with those recorded for the type. 



With regard to the shape of the anteriorly swollen braincase this Mungoose 

 appears to be perhaps more nearly related to the oc^rocews-group, although it is of 

 large size, but all these Mungooses with black-tipped tail may most suitably be 

 regarded as geographic races of one and the same type. 



The type-locality of M. s. orestes is the »west slope of Mt. Kenia, altitude 

 8,500 feet». It was thus of interest to find it at Meru boma viz. at the northeastern 

 corner of the forest region the centre of Avhich is Mount Kenia. It forms thus evi- 

 dently a race adapted to these dark forests with their greater humidity which explains 

 the melanistic tendency in its coloration. 



Its nearest relative may be M. s. proteus Thomas from Ruwenzori which also 

 is a dark Forest Mungoose. 



1 Taf. 8 fig. 2 in »Neue Wirbeltiere zu der Fauna von Abyssinien gehorig*. Frankfurt a. M. 1835. 



