MAMMALIA. 257 



Of the three skeletons brought back two have twenty- 

 one, one twenty pairs of ribs. All have twenty-eight 

 dorsal vertebrae. 



i6. Hyrax, ?sp. nov. 



Two specimens from Gaso and Santara on the Dalanta 

 plateau differ from all the others in having a distinct 

 small black dorsal spot. They are very dark and much less 

 mottled than usual ; the hair is longer and moderately 

 fine. The soles of the feet, of the hinder ones espe- 

 cially, appear to be rather shorter than usual. The 

 nasal bones of the skuU appear shorter, but neither 

 specimen is quite adult. Still compared with specimens 

 of H. Brucei of the same age there appears a difference, 

 the height of the posterior portion of the skull in the 

 latter being less in proportion to the length. In the 

 Dalanta specimens the zygomatic arch is broader than 

 usual. The series of molars in the upper jaw are much 

 curved, 



I am inclined to consider this a distinct form, and I 

 doubt if it be the young of the Shoa species called 

 Euhyrax dbyssinicus by Dr. Gray. It appears to. me 

 a smaller animal. -My largest specimen is nearly adult 

 and wants the small front premolar on each side of both 

 jaws. This tooth is occasionally wanting here and there in 

 other skulls, and is generally deficient in the lower jaw 

 of aged specimens, but amongst eight adult skuUs before 

 ine I find no other instance of its absence throughout 

 both jaws. 



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