THE MACROSCELIDIDAE In Africa the T u pains are represented by the Jumping and Elephant Shrews constituting the family Macroscelididae, dis tinguished from the Tupaiidae by the absence of the bony rings around the orbits, the latter being separated from the hinder part of the skull merely by the post-orbital processes of the frontal bones. Further, the tarsus is markedly elongated and the lower ends of tibia and fibula are joined. Dental formula i.4, p. 4, . The members of this family leap like gerbils or jerboas. The Macroscelididae may be considered to contain seven gen era :—( I ) Macroscelides, or Jumping Shrews, containing two South African species M. proboscideus from Cape Colony and the Orange Free State, and M. melanotis from Namaqualand; in this genus the lower molars are two in number and the auditory bullae much enlarged. (2) Elepliantulus containing the Jumping Shrews of North, East and South Africa in which the lower molars are two in number, but the auditory bullae are normal, not enlarged. In size about equal to the foregoing genus. The various species extend from Morocco and Algeria (E. rozeti) southwards to Somaliland, East and South Africa. (3) Nasilio, or the Short Nosed Jumping Shrews, with three lower molars and normal auditory bullae. Like the two allied genera, Macroscelides and Elepliantulus, these Jumping Shrews are diurnal. The genus ex tends as far north as Angola in the west and Kenya Colony in the east. (4) Petrodromus, the 4-Toed Jumping Shrews, are dis tinguished from the foregoing genera in having only 4 instead of 5 toes to each front foot ; the dimensions are considerably larger and the coat quite different in colour, being pale olive-green on the flanks and rufous on the back (P. tetradactylus, South Africa) . The tail is long and clothed in short normal hairs. (5 ) Mesoctenus, closely allied to Petrodromus, but distinguished by the hairs on the underside of the tail being slightly bulbous at their ends; this genus includes two species M. rovumae (Rovuma) and M. nigriseta from East Africa. (6) Cercoctenus, in which the bulbous, or club-shaped hairs on the underside of the tail are still more developed, two species are recognized. C. sultan from Zanzibar, Tanganyika Territory, and Kenya Colony, and C. schwanni from Portuguese East Africa. (7) Rhynchocyon, the Long Nosed Elephant Shrews, in which the reduction in the number of toes is carried still further, there being only four toes to each foot. In this genus the snout is much longer, the size of the body considerably greater, and the tarsus still more elongated. The dental formula is i.1 s °, c. i , p.4-, m.4. It has been proposed to divide the genus into two subgenera, the typical one containing the chess-board patterned species (R. cirnei, reichardi, claudi and stulhmanni) and Rhinonax including R. chrysopygus and R. petersi and its allies. Some of these Elephant Shrews are very handsomely coloured, R. cirnei from Nyasaland, has the posterior part of its back marked with rows of alternate dark and light blotches, giving a chess-board effect. The apical portion of the tail is always white. In the subgenus Rhinonax equally bright colouring occurs; R. (R) petersi comes from East Africa and Zanzibar. R. (R.) chrysopygus (East Africa) has the body, flanks and limbs deep maroon, and the rump bright orange yellow coloured.