NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



Province, and Selous' Spiny Mouse (Jcomys selousi) 

 from Rhodesia and East Africa. 



In the former, the fur on the back is light brown, 

 and paler on the sides ; under parts pure white ; 

 a yellowish ring round the eye ; back covered with 

 coarse, spiny, flat hairs ; head and body about 3J 

 inches ; tail shorter than head and body. The 

 difference in the latter species is : 



(i) Tail longer than the head and body. 



(2) Back rufous-brown with a smoky hue. 



The former is recorded from the Cape Province 

 and the latter from Rhodesia. 



Genus : Dasymys 



Rat-like animals with moderate, somewhat hairy 

 ears and rather coarse fur ; tail moderately scaly 

 and very sparsely haired ; skull somewhat inter- 

 mediate between that of Gerbillus and Mus. The 

 antorbital plate is produced forwards in hooked 

 shape (Sclater). There is one species and a sub- 

 species. The typical species, which is known as 

 Peter's Water Rat {Dasymys incomtus typicus), has 

 been recorded from Natal. This rat is rather large, 

 being from 6 to 6J inches in length, not including 

 the tail, which is slightly shorter than the head, and 

 body. The fur, which is very thick, is dark brown 

 on the back, paler on the sides, and whitish on the 

 under parts. The body is thickset ; ears round, short 

 but broad, and clothed with hairs ; feet dark brown ; 



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