LOPHIOMTS IMHAUSI. 
291 
from the frontals and parietals, the temporal fossa being uncovered, the masseter 
muscle thus having no bone between it and the skin. In Lophiomys the malar is 
greatly expanded in its whole length, rising to meet a wing-like lateral expansion of 
the frontal and a similar process of the parietal, the three forming a pent-roof over the 
masseter muscle, completely covering the temporal fossa, and leaving only a roughly 
square-shaped orbital opening. The whole of the upper surface of the skull is rugose 
or covered with papilliform nodosities; this roughening extends on to the occipitals 
and paroccipitals, and somewhat resembles a structure found in certain fish. The 
squamosal is also flattened, and extends back to above the auditory meatus, forming a 
deep pit for the condyle. I'he sphenoidal fossae are absent, there being no external 
lateral processes. The paroccipital processes are very long, free, and descend 
below the inferior plane of the bullae. The skull in other respects much resembles 
that of Cricetus, as do the teeth, Avith the exception of the upper incisors, which are 
fiat with square edges, and not rounded as in the Hamster. 
I he lower jaw is deep and strong. The coronoid process strong and upright. The 
condylar process strong, rising abruptly to the same level as the coronoid. The angle 
of the jaw is very short, broad, and flattened, evenly bowed inwards, lorming a spoon¬ 
like structure. 
The specimen described by Milne-Edwards was purchased alive in the streets of 
Aden by M. Imhaus; it was brought to Paris, where it lived for some years in the 
Jardin d’Acclimatation. About the same time that the description of this animal, 
Avhich had died, w^as being published in Paris, a skull was received in Berlin from 
Maman, 70 miles N.E. of Kassala, and was exhibited to the German naturalists by 
Herr Beichert. Peters described this skull, forming a new genus for its reception, 
not having heard of the Avork of the Paris naturalists. 
Only some half-dozen other specimens of this species are known. The British 
Museum possesses one from Eekkeri Ghesse Forest, near Het Marafia, the Shoa station 
of the Geographical Society of Italy. Dr. Sclater exhibited a specimen at a meeting 
of the Zoological Society of London, 3rd November, 1874, from Keren, in the Bogos 
Country. There is a mounted skin and skeleton in the Genoa Museum, mentioned 
by Gestro, also from Keren, where it is called ‘ Tzechira.’ I he specimen from 
Erkoweet described above, and two females collected by Dr. Traversi in the forest of 
Tikem, Shoa, are all in the Florence Museum. 
A nearly allied form occurs in Western Somaliland and British East Africa, L. smithi, 
Bhoads (Proc. Ac. Philad. 1896, p. 524). The type of the species was obtained by 
Dr. Donaldson Smith at Sheikh Husein, about lat. 80° N., long. 41° E.; a second 
specimen, collected by F. J. Jackson, C.B., at the Bavine Station, Mau Plateau, 
and presented to the British Museum, bears the note “ Caught under fly of 
tent.”— W. E. DE W.] 
