DENDROMYS MELANOTIS.— Smith, 
Mammalia. — Plate XXXIV. Fig. 2. 
D supra cinereus rufo-tinctus, infra griseo-albus ; linca longitudinal! nigra, inter scapulas et basin cauda,, 
in medio dorsi ; macula parvula alba infra aurem, et una ante oculum nigra. 
Longitudo ab nasi apice ad basin caudse 3 unc. ; caudte 2 unc. 6 lm. 
Dendromys Melanotis, Smith. South African Quarterly Journal, New Series, 
No. 2, p. 158. 1834. 
Colour. — The upper and lateral parts of the head, neck, and body and the 
outer surface of the extremities ashy grey with a distinct rufous or rusty tint 
the latter colour is not so deep upon the hinder parts of the body as upon 
head, neck, and anterior parts. The sides towards the belly, the upper lip 
the lower portion of the sides of the head, the chin, throat, breast, belly, and 
inner surface of extremities greyish white ; a blotch immediately in ion o 
the eye brownish black. The hair of the ears is dull brown, and under each 
ear at its base there is a small tuft of white hairs. A longitudinal black me 
on the centre of the back, from the shoulders to the root of the tail. Ma - 
kers blackish brown towards their roots, dusky white towards their tips. He 
hair of the upper parts of the tail dusky brown, of the lower parts dull white. 
Eyes blackish brown ; incisor teeth ochry yellow. The fur of the body an 
head slate-coloured towards the skin. 
FnRM &C. — Figure rather more robust than that of Dendromys Typicus ; in 
other respects the form of the two animals areverysimilar. Ears broad patulous 
and rounded at the points, both surfaces sparingly sprinkled with short hair. 
ToesTong and slender, the innerone of the fore foot rather shorter than he other 
hioh are of equal length; nails slender, nearly straight and pointed. The 
tubercle which occupies the place of the thumb small and pointed The 
re Of the hind-foot is rather short, the two next long and of equal length, 
“I 11 '" er one is slightly shorter, the thumb is short and rudimentary. The 
l , ‘T o id outer toe are without nails, on the other toes the nails are like those 
thumb and slightly curved, and pointed. The upper parts of the 
of *' ,e ., L. closely covered with hair, the under parts more sparingly, and 
Sit the scafy rings which encircle the tail are distinctly visible. 
