CHARACTERS OF PUTORIUS ERMINEA. 117 



of tlie limbs. This elongation is specially observable in the 

 neck, the head being set exceptionally far in front of the shoul- 

 ders. The trunk is nearly cylindrical; it scarcely bulges in 

 the region of the abdominal viscera, slopes a little over the" 

 haunches, rises slightly about the shoulder muscles, is a little 

 contracted behind these; the neck is but little less in calibre 

 than the chest. The greatest circumference of body is little 

 more than half its length. 



The head is shorter than the neck ; it is notably depressed, 

 especially flattened on the coronal area and under the throat ; 

 it is broad across the ears, whence it tapers with convex lateral 

 outline along the zygomatic region, thence contracting more 

 rapidly to the snout. The bulging of the sides of the head is 

 in great measure due to the bulk of the temporal and masset- 

 eric muscles, which form swollen masses meeting on the median 

 vertical line. This also contributes to the flattening of the 

 frontal outline. The width of the head across the ears is about 

 two-thirds its length. The eyes are rather small, situated mid- 

 way between the nose and ears; they glitter with changing 

 hues, and contribute, with the low forehead and protruding 

 canine teeth, to a peculiarly sinister and ferocious physiognomy. 

 The ample gape of the mouth, thin-lipped, reaches to below the 

 eyes. The nasal pad at the extremity of the muzzle, is entirely 

 and definitely naked; it is obscurely marked with a median 

 furrow. The nostrils are small, circular, with a lateral projec- 

 tion below. The ears are conspicuous, rising high above the 

 short surrounding fur ; they are rounded in contour, about as 

 wide across as high above the notch. Most of the auricle is 

 flat and closely furred both sides. The rim completes about 

 three-fifths of the contour. There is a conspicuous lobule 

 reaching half-way up the border behind. The concavity of the 

 vestibule is slight, naked, but hidden by a close-pressed pencil 

 of long, upright hairs from the base of the auricle in front, ex- 

 tending nearly to the top of the ear. The back of the ear is 

 on the occipital cross- line. 



The whiskers are few but long, the longest reaching far be- 

 yond the head. A few shorter, very slender bristles spring 

 over the eye and on the malar region. 



The short forelimb is stout, and not fairly separated from the 

 body much above the elbow. The forearm tapers rapidly to the 

 wrist, causing the feet to appear slender in comparison, though 

 they are really relatively stouter than in many uuguiculate 



