60 



The hairy coveiing of Lagotis is almost eiitirely composed ofa 

 beautifully soft and downy tur, of considerable lengtii, but loosely 

 attaclied to the skin, and readily falling oft", iinless carefully handled» 

 This fur is of a dusky hue at the base, and to vvifhin a short di- 

 stance of the tip, where, for a space of from one to three lines in 

 extent, it is ofa dirty \vhite, more or less tinged vvith yellowish 

 brown. Through it protrude a few long hairs, which are entirely 

 black : these are more numerous posteriorly. The mixture of these 

 colours gives the general cftect of a mottled greyish ash-colour. 

 On the sides of the neck and body, vvhere the tips of the fur verge 

 more into yelIowish brovvn than on the back, and where they are 

 also of greater length, as well as on the haunches and beneath, the 

 latter tinge appears rather more predominant. There is little of 

 the dusky colour visible on tlie under surface. The hairs of the 

 tail bclovv are extremely short, closely adpressed, and entirely ofa 

 brownish black ; on its sides they are of two kinds, black and vvhite; 

 and this is also the case vvith the very long, rigid, and erectile hairs, 

 vvhich form a crest along its upper surface. The very long, bristly 

 hairs vvhich project in a tuft at the tip are vvholiy black. 



Mr. Bennctt next proceeded to compare Lagotis vvith Chinchilla, 

 occasionally illustrating his remarks by areference to the structure 

 of Lagostormis. He aftervvards entered at length into the internal 

 anatomy of the tvvo former animals, and gavę a full description of 

 their skeletons, dvvelling more particularly on the poinls of diffe- 

 rence existing betvveen them. He concluded by some observations 

 on the tribe of Rodentia to vvhich these animals are referrible, and 

 on the genera vvhich compose it. 



