MAMMALIA. 281 



in. 



Length of fore leg 2 



„ sole of fore foot 1 



„ middle toe and claw of fore foot 0'5 



Breadth of sole of fore foot 0"45 



Length of hind leg 2'5 



„ sole of hind foot 1"25 



„ longest toe (2d) of hind foot 0'45 



32. Pectinator Spekei, Blyth. 



Blyth, Jour. As. Soo. Bengal, 1855, vol. xxiv. p. 294. 

 Eeugl. Nova Acta Leopoldiuo-Gar. Acad. 1861, p. 1, t. 2. 



This very remarkable rodent was first discovered by 

 the late Captain Speke in the Somali country, and is 

 one of the most interesting animals which I obtained. 

 I first procured it on some hills near Hadoda, barely 

 1,000 feet above the sea, and I found it common in the 

 pass leading to Senafd, at elevations below about 4,000 

 or 5,000 feet. 



It inhabits rocky cliffs precisely as Hyrax does, hiding 

 when disturbed in crevices. It is social, several indi- 

 viduals being usually seen about one spot, lying upon 

 ledges of rock or projecting stones. Unless approached 

 cautiously, aU hide themselves amongst the stones, 

 emerging again after a time. The spots haunted by 

 these little animals may usually be recognised by the 

 quantity of dried pellets of dung which lie about. 

 These are elongated, and rather larger than those of 

 rats. 



The appearance of Pectinator Spekei is much that of 

 a small dark grey squirrel with a singularly short tail, 

 which it has a very squirrel-like trick of jerking- over its 



