BULLETIN FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM VOL 34(6)


TABLE 13. Mean head-body length of female Praomys natalensis compared with rainfall, 1981-
85.


 Mean head-body length (mm)
  1 SE Mean rainfall (mm)


Months 1981-82 1982-83 1983-84 1984-85 1971-80


October 103.7+ 1.7 99.8 1.1 102.4 1.8 99.8 1.8
 No. exam. (96) (84) (72) (72)
Nov.-Dec.
 rainfall 147.1 332.4 159.3 183.6 158.6

Dec.-Feb. 100.60.8 102.20.9 110.20.7 108.00.7
 No. exam. (140) (189) (290) (283)
Jan.-Feb.
 rainfall 44.4 70.2 298.7 169.5 212.1

Mar.-Apr. 104.90.8 105.90.7 117.81.3
 No. exam. (88) (176) (164)
Mar.-Apr.
 rainfall 162.3 218.2 408.4 -307.8

May-June 118.01.1 120.41.3 121.01.1
 No. exam. (59) (24) (71)
May-June
 rainfall 88.7 155.2 86.2 -102.1




 2) Off-season breeding may occur in those years with heavy
 short rains, its timing and duration dependent upon onset
 and duration of the rains. Little or no off-season breeding
 occurs, apparently, in uncultivated habitats in years with
 heavy short rains. When the short rains are heavy, the
 population enters the main breeding season at much
 higher density levels than in dry years (Table 15).
 3) The population levels attained following the main
 breeding season, i.e. from September through December,
 are probably correlated with the occurrence of off-season
 breeding earlier in that year, which as indicated depends
 upon heavy short rains 9 to 12 months earlier.

 The data on reproduction agree with other studies, elsewhere in Africa.
Average litter size ranges from 9.5-12.1 (Brambell and Davis 1941; Chapman