OTOMYS ALBICAUDATUS. 
rather short ; feet small ; nails pointed, slender, and slightly curved ; each 
has a tuft of long and stiff hair which originate behind its base, and extends 
forwards beyond its point, concealing its upper surface. Tail cylindrical 
and tapered, everywhere densely covered with short rigid hair. Whiskers 
long and feeble. The fur generally is rather long, soft, silky, dense, and 
slightly recumbent, on the anterior parts of the head and on the extremities 
towards the feet it is short and rather rigid. 
Teeth, &c. — Each of the incisors of the upper jaw has a superficial and 
rather broad groove along its anterior surface, nearer to the outer than the 
inner edge, the apex of the tooth is formed for cutting, and is slightly emar- 
ginate. The first of the molars is the largest, the last the smallest. The 
crown of the first consists of three transverse portions, which are connected 
by two short longitudinal processes, each of which, like the transverse portions, 
are margined with a narrow prominent rim of enamel : the second consists of 
two transverse portions and a longitudinal connecting process, all edged like 
the first : the third is undivided and completely edged with enamel. The 
incisors of the lower jaw are sub-cylindrical, pointed, and without grooves ; 
the molars have their crown divided nearly in the same manner as those of 
the upper jaw, and the first and second have the same number of divisions. 
Length of skull 16J lines, breadth behind zygomatic arch 8 lines, breadth 
between the greatest convexity of the zygomatic arch of one side and the other 
9 lines. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. Lines. 
Length from the point of the nose to 
the tip of the tail 5 9 
of the tail 2 0 
of the head 1 5 
Inches. Lines. 
Length of the fore-legs 1 0 
of the hind-legs 1 9 
Height when standing 2 6 
The colours of the Female are generally paler than those of the male. 
This animal, according to my experience, is confined to the interior of South Africa, and 
specimens even in the districts in which it lives are procured with difficulty. I have myself 
only met with it in the neighbourhood of Graham’s Town, and in the districts north of the 
Orange river, but I have reason to believe it occurs here and there between these points. It 
inhabits grassy flats, lives in burrows in the ground, and seeks its food during the night. It is 
particularly active and bold during rainy weather, and if individuals be known to exist in any 
particular locality, some of them at least may be readily procured at such times by placing a 
lantern with a light in it upon the ground. They soon approach the light, and may, while 
occupied in regarding it or passing to and fro, be easily disabled with a horse- whip, or such 
like instrument. 
