P a g e : 1 A M P H I B I A N C O L L E C T I O N C a t a l o g u e No. C o l e c t e d b y D e t e r m i n e d b y 7 8 4 C V D H E E V E R S D E W A A L C o l 1. D a t e G r i d R e f . S p e c i m e n s S e x S t o r e L o c a t i o n 4 S E P 1 9 7 3 2 7 2 6 C a 3 1 ? A a S N a m e / s X E N O P1 J S L A E V I ? L A E V I S Local. ] t y S M A L D E E L ( 1 2 4 5 ) H Q Q P S T A D H a b ]. t a t W A T E R M a t e r i al S T O R E D IN 707. A L C O H O L M e a s u r e m e n t s ?. S t r a t l g r a p h / 1 0 3 3 9 3 9 R e m a r k s
groter navorsingsprojekte. Volgens spesifieke opdragte, w at deur middel van die toetspaneel aan die rekenaar oorgedra word, kan die rekenaar nou die tydrowende en soms byna onm oontlike taak van sortering en ranyskikking van inligting doen. Dit is nou m oontlik dat data gerangskik en kopiee gedruk kan word volgens die kurator se behoeftes, byvoorbeeld die alfabetiese rangskikking van eksemplare volgens naam, versamelaar, landstreek, provinsie of habitat. Dit is hierdie vermoens van die rekenaar w at rekenaardokumentasie in 'n ander sfeer plaas wanneer dit vergelyk word met die konvensionele sisteem.
In antw oord op 'n navraag soos: “ Is daar enige eksemplare van die bedreigde akkedis, Cordylus g ig a n te u s (o u v o lk ) in die h e rp e to lo g ie - versam eling?" kan 'n positiewe antw oord vinnig sonder die hulp van die rekenaar gegee word.
Maar dikwels volg die volgende vraag: "S al u asseblief so spoedig m oontlik vir my 'n lys (met alle beskikbare data) van al die koggelmanders w at in die Vrystaat versamel is, aanstuur?" Weer eens is die antw oord bevestigenden sonder meer tik die rekenaar die lys volledig, volgens behoeftes, en w ord die aangevraagde inligting onm iddellik versend.
So kan die funksies van die rekenaar verder uitgebrei w ord tot die biblioteek, museum- adm inistrasie en selfs die voorbereiding van navorsingsm anuskripte en illustrasies van enige aard. In geheel gesien kan die rekenaar net lei tot die verdere verhoging van die produ ktiw iteit van die Nasionale Museum. Dit !yk dus of die Museum 'n stap in die regte rigting gedoen het, al lig party mense hulle wenkbroue! Soos die ou gesegde lui: '" n Skilpad moet sy nek uitsteek om vorentoe te beweeg."
THE ROCK ELEPHANT
SHREW
C .D . Lynch Rock elephant shrew.
The elephant shrews are characterized by a long proboscis (hence the vernacular name of elephant shrew), large eyes and very long legs. Collectively they are grouped in the fam ily Macroscelididae. Presently four genera are recognized and although the fa m ily isdistributed thro ugho ut most of Africa, only one genus, namely Elephantulus, is represented in the Orange Free State. W hile this genus consists of
10 species only one, E. m yuru s (Rock elephant shrew; Klipklaasneus), occurs in the province.
However, the Rock elephant shrew is also found in Z im b a b w e , th e T ra n s v a a l, w e s te rn Mocambique, eastern Botswana, and in the Richmond (Cape Province) and Estcourt (Natal) vicinities. The range of the Rock elephant shrew therefore shows an entirely eastern southern African d istribu tion pattern.
Skull o f a Rock elephant shrew. Proboscis of a Rock elephant shrew.
W ith in its range the Rock elephant shrew is, as one of its vernacular names denotes, confined to large rocky outcrops and hill slopes. As they are m ostly active during the day, they can be seen hopping about these rocks and ju m ping from one boulder to another over gaps of up to one metre. They can also be heard com m unicating by means of a short, high-pitched shriek and also by rapping the basal ventral portion of their ta ils and drum m ing their hindfeet on rocks. Rockelephant shrews are preyed upon by snakes, ow ls and carnivores such as the Cape fox and Small spotted-cat.
The Rock elephant shrew 's teeth clearly indicate that it is a member of the order Insectivora (hence one of its vernacular names, s h re w )a n d th e ird ie t includes termites, ants, caterpillar larvae and grasshoppers.
Two young are usually born per year (range 1 to 2) during the period A ugust to M arch. The young become fu lly grow n at presum ably the age of 10 weeks and then have the fo llo w in g mean dim ensions : total length, i.e. from tip of tail to tip of nose, 255 mm; ta il length, 1 36 mm; hindfoot, length 38 mm; ear length, 23 mm; mass, 64 g.
Teeth of a Rock elephant shrew.
