Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
87 
but the three series are well marked off in size in other respects, and on 
these grounds and the presence of the very young specimen of colonus and 
the two young but larger specimens of caffer, it seems advisable to keep 
the three series apart. Whether my identification is right is another 
matter, as the original descriptions are none to clear. 
The following will illustrate the range of variation in each case : — 
H. and B. ... 
Tail 
Hd. ft. 
Ear ... 
Skull : — 
paedulcus. 
118 -137 
108 -132 
23 - 25 
16 - 20 
colonus <$ and caffer. 
Ill and 99-102 85 -90 
108 and 101-107 80 -84 
25 and 23 21 -22 
16 -18 16 -17 
Gr. leng. 
Bas. leng. 
Zyg, br. . . 
Mol. ser. 
30*5- 32*6 
25*7- 27-7 
15*4- 15-5 
4-6 
26-9-28 
21-6-23 
13-2-13-4 
4-6 
25-2-25-8 
19-4-19-8 
12-3-12-9 
4-6 
The very young specimen of colonus is given as : H. and B. 56 mm.’ 
and the two young of caffer as : 65-68, respectively. 
159. Mus concha , A. Sm. 
1 cJ, 1 $, Potchefstroom (Ayres). 
1 §, Wonderfontein (Jameson). 
2 <j, 2 $, Houghton Estate, Johannesburg (Jameson). 
1 (}, Wakkerstroom (Roberts). 
1 c?, 2 <j>, Zoutpan, District Pretoria (Jameson). 
1 <J, Pretoria (Roberts). 
1 <J, 1 Boror (Kirby and Roberts). 
The number of mammae is, unfortunately, not given on the labels of 
any of the specimens ; but the tail is always shorter than the head and 
body, and the skull in old specimens does not exceed 27 mm. in greatest 
length ( vide table of measurements given hereafter). 
160. Mus natalensis , A. Sm. 
2 $, Malvern, Natal (Jameson). 
1 <J, 4 $, Wakkerstroom (Jameson). 
6 (J, 6 5, 6 yg., Tzaneen Estate (Jameson). 
There is very little difference between specimens from Natal and 
Zululand, which have been named zuluensis by Thomas and Schwann, 
and M. microdon of Peters from Tette ; and as the last-named writer 
seemed to find but little difference between his species and Smith’s 
natalensis , it is obvious that the latter name should be used with reference 
to the southern form, and microdon distinguished as a sub-species. 
In this species the tail is normally of about the same length as the 
head and body, while the skull is of about the same size as, or perhaps a 
little smaller than, that of M. paedulcus. The number of mammae in all 
recorded cases is given as eighteen. 
161. Mus natalensis microdon , Ptrs. 
1 yg. <£, Tette (Grant). 
5, Zimbiti, Beira (Sheppard). 
These specimens are whiter on the under surface of the body, and on 
this microdon may be distinguished from M. natalensis. 
