M a m m a l i a .— P l a t e XLVII. Fig. 3.
M. superne flavo-brunneus nigro brimneo-penicillatus, infra griseo-albus; mento-guttereque albis; cauda
superne bruunea infra a lb a; auribus ovatis, singulorum apice semicirculari.
L ongitudo capitis corporisque 3 unc. 6 lin. ; caudee 2 unc. 6 lin.
Mus Colonus, Smith, South African Quarterly journal.
C o l o u r .—The ground colour of the upper parts of the head, the neck, and
all the back, pale yellowish brown, pencilled profusely with liver-brown ; the
sides of the head, Deck, body, and the outer surface of the extremities towards
the body wood-brown, the two last sparingly pencilled with brown ; belly,
insides of extremities and tarsi, pale rufous white; chin and throat white.
Hair on outer surface of ears rufous, on inner surface brownish red ; whiskers
variegated liver-brown and yellowish brown. Eyes black. Incisor teeth of
upper jaw Hutch-orange, of lower pale straw-yellow. Tail, above umber-'
brown, beneath dirty white.
F o r m , & c .— Figure rather robust; head posteriorly moderately broad,
anteriorly pointed. Ears oval, the apex of each nearly Semicircular, the
external and internal surfaces coated thinly with short and rigid hair. Legs
short, nails short, strong, curved and blunt. The fur or hair of the back and
head short and rather stiff*, of the sides and under parts soft and downy. Tail
covered with short rigid hair. Eyes large and prominent.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from the nose to the base of the Length of the fore legs
tail ............................................. 3 6 Height when standing
of the tail ................................... 2 6
Inches. Lines.
... 0 7
... ~1 3
The colours of the male and female are nearly alike.
Inhabits the eastern districts o f the Cape Colony, and is found in localities coated with
brushwood. It either resides in burrows under ground or in masses of decayed vegetable
matter, which occur commonly in the situations it inhabits.