192 ROYAL NORTON CHAPMAN 
2. The pelvic bones of the Insectivora 
The pelvis of the Insectivora, as described by Lecke (’84), is 
found to exhibit a series of changes similar to those described 
above for the rodents. The material which has been examined 
in the course of this investigation agrees with the descriptions 
given by him. 
The pelvis of the tree shrew (Tupaia) is very generalized, the 
symphysis is long and the angle of inclination formed with the 
sacral axis is large. Elephatulus also has a similar pelvis. 
The hedgehogs (family Erinaceidae) possess a short symphysis 
which Lecke (’84) describes as cartilaginous. However this 
may be, the pubic bones converge posteriorly in all the specimens 
which have been examined and the pelvis is more like that of 
the mice than like that of the pocket gophers in that the sym- 
physis is formed at the point of contact between the two 
converging pubic bones. 
The shrews (family Soricidae) represent a high specialization 
with regard to the pelvis, and Lecke (’84) speaks of them, 
together with the moles (Talpidae), as differing from all other 
mammals in the possession of diverging pubic bones. The 
‘mole shrew’ (Blarina talpoides), the ‘short-tailed shrew’ (Blarina 
brevicauda), Cryptotis parva, ‘musk shrew’ (Crocidura hal- 
conus), Pachyura luzoniensis, and the ‘wood shrew’ (Sylvisorex 
gemmeus) have been examined and in every case, regardless of 
sex, the symphysis has been found to be absent. The pubic 
bones not only diverge posteriorly, but at the anterior end tend 
to converge until, in the ‘mole shrew’ (Blarina talpoides), they 
are less than a millimeter apart at the iliopectineal prominence 
(fig.12 and 13). There is thus formed a virtual secondary symphy- 
sis, but, unlike the original symphysis, it is at the anterior end 
of the pubic bones and dorsal to the digestive tract and the urino- 
genital ducts. In all the specimens examined the pelvis is 
horizontal and very much narrowed, except in the ‘musk 
shrew’ (Crocidura). 
Of the moles (family Talpidae) the ‘star-nosed mole’ (Con- 
dylura cristata), Scapanus townsendii, Scalopus aquaticus aquat- 
