BRUCE'S DASSIE 

 Ppocavia bracei somalica, Thos. 



Somali name, Baune 



Description. — The general colour of the Somaliland dassie 

 is a grizzled brownish grey, varying according to the age of the 

 animals. The older specimens are lighter in colour. The hairs 

 are brown at the base with a subterminal band of yellowish white 

 and a terminal band of black, and are very delicate and soft. 

 Underneath, and on the inner sides of the legs, the hairs are brown 

 at their bases, and the terminal half white. All over the body, but 

 more especially towards the hinder parts, there are long hairs, black 

 in colour and varying in length from one to two inches, dotted 

 about. The hairs on the inside of the ears are pure white, while 

 those around the dorsal spot vary with the age of the animal. In 

 the younger animals the bases of these hairs are the same colour as 

 the bases of the hairs of the body, the terminal half being whitish, 

 but later they become eptirely yellowish white in the whole of their 

 extent. The soles of the feet are quite black. 



Measurements. — The measurements in the flesh of the 

 largest specimen obtained by me — a female — were as follows : 



Head and body 450 mm. 



Hindfoot 55 ,, 



Ear 30 „ 



Distribution. — This dassie is found throughout Northern 

 Somaliland, wherever large rocks abound. I have not found it 

 closer than thirty or forty miles from the coast except at Bihendula, 

 where there are a few. 



Habits. — They live entirely among the large rocks and 

 boulders bordering the dry river-beds and low rocky cliffs among 



109 



