142 
Annals of the Transvaal Museum. 
The Karasberg form has long lanceolate lobules, whereas those from the 
Transvaal have lobules which are short and relatively inconspicuous. 
Now, all our specimens from the Karroo localities, namely from 
Steytlerville, Victoria West, Middelburg (C.P.), Klerksdale (near 
Middelburg), Cradock, and Steinkopf, agree in the character just cited 
with our Karasberg form, whereas they differ in that the hind limbs are 
somewhat shorter. 
Although that of the ear-lobules is the only structural character 
which can be utilized as far as we can see, it may be noted that there is 
some difference in colouration : in the Transvaal form the light lateral 
streak is white and sharply defined, while in specimens from the 
Karasbergen and the Karroo it is either absent or comparatively 
inconspicuous. And further, all our specimens from the Karasbergen 
and the Karroo have the hind limbs, the inguinal region, and the base of 
the tail (below and at sides) brick-red in colour. We cannot, however, 
attach much importance to these colour characters, since the white lateral 
streak is not conspicuous in Serowe specimens, and the red colouration of 
the hind limbs appears in an example from Pirie, both these forms being 
referable to the variety characterized by the possession of short ear-lobules. 
We are not inclined to regard the two forms as specifically distinct, 
but we are prepared to recognize two varieties, distinguished by the length 
of the ear-lobules. 
M. varia, Pet. var. nov. longiloba. 
The form with short ear-lobules we regard as the typical form : for 
the form with long ear-lobules we are applying a new name, M. varia var. 
longiloba , as we do not think that it can be precisely identical with the 
form described by Peters under the name of M. hildebrandti , judging from 
Peters’ figure and the British Museum Catalogue description : compare 
the relationship of the loreal to the upper labial : the size of the second 
supra-ocular as compared with the first : the relation of the parietal 
shields to each other. 
We may note that Mr. Boulenger in Ann. S. A. Mus., V, 1910, p. 485, 
records M. varia from various localities in Little Namaqualand and in 
the Karroo : it is most probable that these specimens belong to the form 
with long ear-lobules, that is to say to the same form which he referred to 
M. hildebrandti in the same paper. Sternfeld appears to have followed 
Werner and Boulenger ( vide Mitt. Zool. Mus. Berlin, III, 1911, pp. 406 
and 408, and in Fauna Deuts. Kol. R. 4 : D. S. W. A. H. 2, 1911, p. 39-40: 
in the latter paper the author made use of the character of the length 
of the hind limb to the body in separating the two forms) in his 
identification and diagnosis of the two supposed species. 
M. sulcata , Pet. 
M. sulcata: Bouleng., 1. c. p. 206 ; and Ann. S. A. Mus. V, 1910, p. 486 : Werner, 1. c. p. 845 : 
Hewitt, Ann. Transv. Mus. II, 1910, pp. 94 and 100: Hewitt and Power, Trans. 
R. S..S. A. Ill, 1913, p. 158. 
23 examples from various localities. 3282, 3302, 3309, Kraikluft 
(5000 to 5200 feet); 3296, 3297, 3308, 3308a, 3311-3317, Narudas Slid: 
3298, 3299, Luderitzbucht ; 3300, 3301, 3305, Wasserfall ; 3303, 3304, 
Nakeis (Klein Karas) ; 3306, Aus ; 3307, Quibis ; 3310, between Kraikluft 
and Alt Wasserfall. 
A number of juveniles were taken in the Great Karas Mountains : 
the dorsal pattern in all these is constant and distinctive, there being on 
the back five light buff streaks and four somewhat broader black streaks, 
