118 INSECTIVOEA 



Ventral profile straight, the dorsal profile essentially parallel to 

 it from lambda nearly to front of interorbital region, then sloping 

 forward at a slight angle (about lo") ; occiput squarely or some- 

 what obliquely truncate. General outline of occipital region as 

 viewed from behind truncate-triangular, slightly more than half as 

 high as wide, the base of the triangle formed by line joining tips 

 of widely projecting mastoid processes, the apex by the narrowly 

 rounded or bluntly pointed lambdal region. Paroccipital 

 processes nearly as large as mastoid processes and resembling 

 them in form, though more slender and directed more backward. 

 Basisphenoid with deep median pit between bases of half -funnel 

 formed auditory processes, the pit continuous anteriorly with 

 mesopterygoid fossa. Tympanic ring open postero-externally, its 

 greatest breadth (antero-internal) about 3 mm. Inner and outer 

 pterygoid plates broadly triangular, approximately alike in size 

 and form, each containing more of the pterygoid than palatine 

 element. Hamular short, strongly curved. Mesopterygoid space 

 slightly longer than broad. Palate terminating posteriorly in a 

 high transverse ridge and strongly projecting median spine, the 

 ridge nearly straight, its median portion well developed. In 

 front of ridge the palatine bones are conspicuously and irregularly 

 fenestrate. Lambdoid crest high. Sagittal crest low but 

 evident, extending forward to back of interorbital region. Here 

 it divides into two low, diverging ridges which pass forward 

 toward lachrymal region. In some specimens they can be traced 

 as far as the high, well defined ridge which occupies edge of orbit 

 for a distance of about 7 mm. above lachrymal foramen. Ante- 

 orbital foramen small, separated from lachrymal foramen by a 

 space much greater than its own diameter, its anterior border 

 over anterior root of large premolar. Upper portion of maxillary 

 rather short, its length behind posterior point of premaxillary 

 less than depth of rostrum at middle. Posterior termination of 

 premaxillary variable in form : nearly square, broadly or narrowly 

 cuneate, rounded, or rounded with supplemental inner spicule. 

 Mandible short and heavy, the greatest depth of ramus about one- 

 third length of alveolar line. Coronoid process high, narrow, 

 sharply hooked backward at tip. Angular process about as wide 

 as coronoid process, but not so long, its apex slightly bent 

 inward. 



Teeth. — General aspect of teeth as compared with that in 

 other European members of the order, short, heavy and blunt, 

 distinctly omnivorous rather than strictly insectivorous in type. 

 Anterior upper incisor about twice as high as the succeeding 

 small teeth, its shaft subterete, flattened posteriorly, directed 

 slightly forward and inward, the teeth separated at base by 

 space about equal to height of shaft, at tip by about half this 

 distance. The four succeeding teeth (two incisors, canine and 

 anterior premolar) are essentially alike in form, the crown 

 slightly longer than wide, its height slightly greater than length. 



