686 president's address. 



seen in some Glires and Insectivora. The form of the skull seems 

 to indicate a brain like that of Chrysochloris, and with appa- 

 rently larger cerebral hemispheres than is usual in the Marsupials. 



Among other characteristics in which Notoryctes approaches 

 the Insectivora and differs from the Marsupials he refers to the 

 imperforate palate, the presence of a patella, and the an-angement 

 and number of the incisor teeth, which are neither diprotodont 

 nor polyprotodont, but resemble those of ordinary mammals in 

 being three on each side both above and below. 



He then points out what he regards as special resemblances to 

 the Chrysochloridae, and adds : — " Such an aggregate of resem- 

 blances to the Chrysochloridae signifies, it appears to me, zoological 

 affinity. Whether Noloryctes Avill ultimately be found to enter 

 the Marsupialia or not, it must be a descendant out of the same 

 stock as that which gave origin to the Chrysochloridae. But I 

 suspect the brain, female generative organs, and foetal character- 

 istics will turn out to resemble those of Chrysochloris, as do its 

 other characters, and in that case Notoryctes will enter the 

 Insectivora." 



lu the preceding October .Stirling had read an additional paper 

 on Notoryctes,"^ in which two small mammae with " exceedingly 

 minute nipple-like projections" are described as situated in the 

 pouch. The vagina also appears to have a median septum ; but 

 the account given of the female generative organs is, owing to 

 the condition of the specimen, by no means entirely satisfactory, 

 and more remains to be done in this direction. 



Gadowf has also published the results at which he has arrived 

 by an examination of Notoryctes, especially as regards the skeleton 

 and the teeth ; and, as was to be expected, pronounces unequivo- 

 cally for its marsupial affinities. He expresses the opinion, however, 

 that if we had only the skeleton without the teeth, and if it had 

 been found in America, there would have been strong reasons for 



* " Further notes on the habits and anatomy of Notoryctes typhlops." 

 Trans. Roy. Soc. of South Australia, 1891, pp. 283-291, pi. xii. 



t " On the systematic position of Notoryctes tyjMoj^s.'" Proc. Zool Soc. 

 1892, p. 361. 



