Zoological Society. 61 



which is not found in the Chimpanzee, and has been asserted to 

 exist in man alone. Other peculiarities are met with, in the absence 

 of a crista galli on the ethmoid bone, and in the non-existence of' 

 either mastoid or styloid processes : there is a process from the ar 

 ticular surface of the temporal bone, which is necessary to prevent 

 dislocation backwards of the lower jaw, the auditory process not 

 being adapted to prevent such an accident. The intermaxillary 

 bones are distinct. There are largeforamina behind the deciduous 

 teeth, which lead to cavities containing the permanent ones ; the 

 crowns of the latter are as large as those of the Pongo. The os 

 nasi is single and triangular ; it has a strong spine at the back part. 

 There are three infra-orbital foramina; and large foramina in the 

 malar bone. The anterior condyloid foramina are two on each side. 



The true vertebra are 23 : 7 cervical, with long simple spines ; 

 12 dorsal ; and 4- lumbar. There are 8 false vertebra, viz. 5 sacral, 

 and 3 coccygeal. The ribs are 12; 7 true, and 5 false. The 

 sternum is composed, below the first portion, of a double series of 

 bones alternating with each other : the same structure obtains in 

 the Pongo. 



The spine of the scapula is strongly incurvated upwards. The 

 bones of the arm and hand are much elongated. The thumb is 

 short ; the proximal phalanges of the fingers bent. 



The ilia are narrow, flattened, and elongated. The^wwr is short 

 and straight ; it has no ligamentum teres, a deficiency which occurs 

 also in the Elephant, the Sloths, in Seals, the Walrus, Ornithorhyn- 

 chus, &c., and by which a greater extent of motion is allowed to 

 the thigh. The tibia and fibula are shorter than ihefemur: these, 

 like the bones of the fore-arm, have a greater interosseous space 

 than is found in man. The patella is very small. The os calcis pro- 

 jects far behind. The bones of the metatarsus and the phalanges 

 are elongated, the first series of the latter being bent. The hinder 

 thumb is very short : in the individual examined it had a metatar- 

 sal bone, and two phalanges. A nail existed on the thumb of each 

 hinder hand. 



Dec. 14-. G. B. Greenough, Esq. in the Chair. A letter was 

 read from Dr. Andrew Smith, addressed to N. A. Vigors, Esq. The 

 following are extracts : 



" Cape Town, 8th Sept. 1830. I am sure you will be pleased to 

 learn that I have discovered another species of Macroscelides, as 

 well as a new one of Erinaceus ; and three species of the genus 

 Otis, together with one of Brachypteryx. The descriptions of these 

 I hope to be able to forward to you in the course of three weeks or 

 a month. The first is designated in our Museum, Macroscelides ru- 

 pestris ; the second, Erinaceus Capensis ; the third, fourth, and 

 fifth, Otis Figorsii, Ot. Jerox, and Ot. Afrao'ides ; the sixth, 

 Brachypteryx Horsfieldii. The first was found by myself on the 

 mountains near to the mouth of the Orange river, and the circum- 

 stance of its always residing among rocks, together with the diffe- 

 rence in its coloring, readily pointed it out as being of a distinct 

 species. As to the colour, the most marked distinction consists in 

 the Cape species having a large tawny rufous or chestnut blotch 



on 



