LONG-TAILED MOUSE 

 Mus brookmani, Thos. 



Somali name, fir 



Description. — General colour fawn brown with a fair 

 sprinkling of black hairs, chiefly along back, with dark slaty- 

 coloured bases to the hairs. Underneath, the hairs are pure 

 white throughout. Nose same as general body colour, but upper 

 and lower lips white. Ears nearly naked. Fore and hind feet 

 pure white. Tail about one-third longer than the head and 

 body — tricoloured with longish dark hairs at end. Rings well 

 marked, about SO to the inch. 



Measurements of a large male killed at Upper Sheikh : 



Head and body 123 mm. 



Tail 184 „ 



Hindfoot 23 „ 



Ear 18 „ 



Distribution. — I have only caught this rat at Upper Sheikh, 

 but it is probably common all along the Golis Range. 



Habits. — This rat is invariably found among the rocks and 

 stones in the nullahs at Sheikh, or on the plain not far distant 

 from the stony hillside. It is nocturnal and carnivorous and 

 comparatively common : the spinous and long-tailed mice being 

 equally common among the rocks and in the ravines on the 

 Golis Range. 



127 



