1. M U S P U M 1 L I 0 .
1 , M U S D O R S A L I S .
(Mammalia.... Elate. 46)
M ammalia.— P late XLVI. F ig . 1.
M. superne griseo-album, castaneo et subnigro parce penicellatum; dorso lineis quatuor longitudinalibus
subnigris variegato; capite gracile; pilis recumbentibus; auribus ferrugineis.
Longitudo e nasi apice ad basin caudse 4 unc. ; caudas 3 unc. 6 lin.
C olour, &c.—The ground colour of the upper and lateral parts of the
head, of the hack, the sides of the body, and the outer surface of the extremities,
grayish white, sparingly pencilled with chestnut and liver-brown, and
the back besides is variegated with four longitudinal liver-brown stripes,
each about a line in width. From the point where; the stripes commence, at
the anterior part of the back, a single line, alike in width and colour, extends
forwards along the back of the neck and down the face till it is lost on the
latter between the eyes,—this, and the four on the back are distinctly though
sparingly pencilled with a bright deep reddish orange. The sides and angles
of the mouth, the chin, the throat, the breast, the belly, the inner surface of
the extremities towards the body, and their entire circumference towards the
toes, rusty white. Ears externally and internally intermediate between
chestnut- and orpiment- orange. The upper surface of the tail is liver-brown,
the under surface yellowish brown. The incisor teeth of the upper jaw are
light reddish orange, those of the lower yellowish white ; whiskers and eyes
liver-brown. Hair towards the base a slate colour.
F orm, fee.—Figure moderately slender. Head small and narrow, the
muzzle prominent, slightly obtuse, and projecting but little beyond the
incisor teeth of the upper jaw; ears moderately large and posteriorly semicircular.
Hair rigid, moderately long, and recumbent. Extremities slender,
the hinder ones rather long, and the three middle toes of each of equal length.
Tail cylindrical, long, and densely covered with short rigid hair.
Length from nose to base of tail
of tail .... .......................
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
4 0
3 6
Inches. Lines.
Length of tarsus and toes of hinder extremities....................................
...... 0 I l f
Height of the animal when standing ... 1 7
This mouse occurs in every part of Southern Africa which has yet been visited and is generally
descried in spots more or less densely covered with underwood. In these situations large
accumulations of dried leaves, branches, &c., are often to be observed surrounding the stems
near to the ground of some of the larger shrubs, and in the interior of these masses Mus Pumelio
forms its burrows; constructs its dwelling place, and produces and rears its young.