78 
Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
the back ; the lower part of the back is coloured like the tail, the external 
half of the hairs being of a dark fiery red ; the sides of the lower back, 
sides of the neck, fore and hind limbs, are lighter coloured, and the 
annulations are more conspicuous ; the under surface of the body is like 
that of the male ; and the pectoral mammae are conspicuously situated in 
barer patches. 
In both specimens the hairs of the tail are brown at the base, ringed 
with white, brown and white, and the external half is lighter red-brown ; 
the hairs of the lower back are brown at the base, followed by a narrow 
and ill-defined band of dull buff-orange, and the external three-fifths 
coloured like the tail. The hair of the lower back measures about 30 mm., 
and that of the tail, three inches from the root, from 37 5 above to 43 mm. 
at the sides. 
95. Heliosciurus mutabilis beirae , subsp. nov. 
Specimens from Beira, of which there are three with skulls and two 
without, are larger than those from Boror, and on these grounds, apart 
from their colour which is little understood at present, should be 
recognized subspecifically. 
Two of the specimens with skulls (taken in August, 1908) are 
altogether differently coloured from the Boror specimens, the rings of 
colour on the body being very dark brown, buff-orange, very dark brown, 
white, and (the extreme tips) very dark brown, so that the prevailing 
colour on the upper surface is dark brown with white tips, and when the 
hair is disturbed the buff-orange is conspicuous. On the tail, too, the 
rings are very conspicuous, but lack the buff-orange under colouring, thus 
producing regular rings of brown and white almost to the end of the tail. 
The two specimens without skulls (taken in April and May, 1908) are 
slightly darker coloured and somewhat smaller ; they are probably younger 
than the others. 
The fifth specimen (taken in October, 1907), in which the skull is 
incomplete, has the hair bleached, but still retains the pattern of coloration 
of the other five specimens, and does not show any of the uniform light 
red-brown on the back which characterizes the two from Boror. 
Type : ex coll. P. A. Sheppard, Zimbiti, Beira, 11th August, 1908. 
Measurements taken from dried skin : — H. and B. 255, tail 290, hind 
foot (c.u.) 54. Skull: Gr. leng. 56*8, basal leng. 43*7, zyg. br. 32 '5, 
int.-orb. br. 17, iiit. temp. br. 16 * 2, br. brain case 23 ■ 9, mol. ser. 
10 *2, nasals 19 x 8. Hair of lower back about 30: of tail, three inches 
from root, 36-45. 
96. Heliosciurus mutabilis chirindensis, subsp. nov. 
Distinguished from H. m. beirae by its more bushy tail, the hair of 
which measures 45-55 mm., at a point three inches from the root. 
Type : ex coll. C. F. M. Swynnerton, Chirinda Forest, 6.9.07. 
“ H. and B. 230, tail 290, hind foot 54, ear 20.” Skull : gr. leng. 56, 
basal leng. 43*4, zyg. br. 32, int. orb. br. 18*5, int. temp. br. 14*5, br. brain 
case 22*1, molar ser. 10T, diastema 12*5, nasals 17*3 x 8'6. 
This specimen is intermediate in colour between the grey specimens 
from Beira and the light red ones from Boror, and in addition is brighter 
coloured on the under surface, the throat and sides particularly being 
richly coloured with orange-yellow ; the white tips to the hairs found in 
Beira specimens are here replaced by tawny. 
97. Paraxerus sponsus , Thos. and Wr. 
1 <$, Beira (Sheppard). 
