Ayers, Nasal rays in Condylura cristata. 



357 



the surface of the end of tlie nose. Tliis flexible snout is sharply 

 marked ofli" froni tlie rest of the uose by the eutire lack of hair aiid 

 hair follicles. 



In Condylura the snout is much longer than in Talpa and carries 

 at its distal end a vaiying- number of finger-shaped processes which 

 bound a cup-shaped or flat terminal disc (Fig. 2) perforated on either 

 side of its center by.the oval nostrils {c. n.). 



Fig. 1. 



Instead of a general distribution of the tactile papillae over the 

 surface of the snout itself, such as occurs in Talpa, one finds them 

 confined, for the most part^ to the flexible finger-shaped processes 

 (Fig. 2). The papillae, which are clairly visible to the unaided eye, 

 appear, under a low maguifyiug power, as uniformly rounded promi- 

 nences disposed in more or less regulr rows, extending in the direction 

 of the long axis of the ray. 



It is evident from the anatomical relationships of the two ani- 

 mals that Condylura is only a highly modified form of Talpa. The 

 lengthened tail, the elongated snout with its remarkable tactile organs, 

 together with the extended skull and the increased number of teeth 

 are conditions indicating greater specialization; but still easily deri- 

 vable from the more primitive talpine form. It is quite apparent that 

 the increase in the extent of the tactile surface and its more definite 

 localization in the case of Condylura are only expressions of the exi- 

 stence of a higher functional activity than is possessed by the homo- 

 logous tract in Talpa. 



It would be interesting to know more of the habits of Condylura 

 in Order to learn in what respects they dift'er from those of Tcdpa, 



