THE AUSTRALIAN MARSUPIAL MOLE, 



653 



hidden to a considerable extent by the hairs of the back, but fully- 

 visible from below, Ifc is swelled out near the middle by two 

 considerable lateral tuberosities. The fore feet are similar to those 

 of the Chrysochlores. The two large arched and compressed 

 nails of the third and fourth digits conceal the others, with the 

 exception of the obtuse and corneous nail of the fifth digit, which 

 is turned back and inserted at the base of the fourth. On exam- 

 ining the narrow palm of this paw, we can discover the thin, atro- 

 phied nails of the thumb and second finger. The palm is cleft, 

 and the fingers form two groups : the outer, consisting of the 

 third, fourth, and fifth ; and the inner, of the first and second. 

 The hind paws are likewise short and very thick, more robust 

 than those of the Chrysochlores, spade - shaped, have the sole 

 turned outward, are deeply grooved, and bare to the metatarsus.* 

 The first four toes are subequal ; the fifth is represented by a 

 short nail, much like that of the hand, and flanked by a large, 

 broad, and flat sesamoid bone. The tibia is thick. 



The dentition of the Notoryctes comprises forty teeth — ten in 

 each branch of the jaws. The molars resemble those of the Chry- 



FiG. 2. — Feet of the Notortctes. 1, 2, and 3, 

 fore foot seen in front, in profile, and from 

 beneath ; 4 and 5, hind foot, from above 

 and from beneath. 



Fig. 3. — Details or the Skeleton (enlarged'). 

 1 and 2, skull, profile and from beneath ; 

 3 and 4, feet. 



sochlores, having, like them, V-formed crowns ; but the front 

 teeth, especially the incisors, are much smaller than those of the 

 Chrysochlores. This fact is remarkable, considering that the gen- 

 eral form of the skull is also strikingly like that of the Chryso- 

 chlores. The median incisors are, like those of the Iliisaraignes 

 and most of the placentary insectivores, scalpriformed, or thick 

 and hooked like the teeth of rodents, and constitute strong organs 

 of prehension which touch on the median line. On the other 



* From an examination of the osteology, we should say that the hind feet of the Noto- 

 ryctes are similar in form to the fore feet of the real moles. 



