280 
THE MAMMALS OE EGYPT. 
mixed with the fur are many long black unbanded hairs, becoming more numerous 
on the hinder part of the body. In some specimens from Egypt there is a decided 
narrow black median dorsal line. The whole of the under surface is greyish Avhite. 
O^he nose and ears and a small patch above the upper eyelid are covered with short 
reddish-brown hairs. The upper surface of the foot is concolorous with the body, 
and the bare under surface is livid. The skin and hairs on the upper surface of the 
tail are almost black ; the sides of the tail are brown, and below it is sparsely covered 
with brownish-yellow hairs. 
[The specimens from Assuan are very much paler than the examples from Cairo and 
it^ neighbourhood, and are slightly more rufous posteriorly. This form may represent 
A. variegatus, var. minor, Sundevall (Vet.-Ak. Handl. 1842, p. 221), from Syrkut, 
Upper Nubia, described as being smaller and paler than the typical form. 
Measurements taken from specimens preserved in alcohol. 
Cairo. Plain o£ Tokar. 
A 
Minia. 
-A. 
r~ 
'N 
r 
A 
6. 
6. 
c?. 
$■ 
mra. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
Head and body. . . . 
188 
178 
178 
163 
150 
Tail. 
133 
136 
147 
158 
165 
Hind foot. 
35 
36 
37 
35 
33 
Ear. 
18 
18 
20 
19 
19 
Measurements of skulls. 
Cairo. 
t 
Tokar, 
c?. 
d. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
Greatest length , . . . 
. 38‘5 
37-5 
36-5 
„ breadth . . 
. 20 
20 
19-5 
Length of nasals . . 
. 15 
14-2 
13 
Basal length . . . . , 
. 34-5 
34 
33 
Length of palate 
. 17 
17 
16 
Incisive foramina . . 
8 
8‘5 
7-5 
8 
8 
7T 
The skull is shorter than that of Mus rattus, but while the zygomatic arches are 
broad in proportion, the cranium is narrow. Ihe palate is very narrow, the posteiior 
narial opening is narrow, commencing in a line wdth the posterior end of the molars ; 
there is no postdental shelf; the molars are very broad; the incisive foramina are 
narrow, especially posteriorly, the median septum in this portion being excessively 
