70 



of the head, from the tip of tlie nose to the base of the ear, one inch 

 and seven eighths; of the tail six inches and a ąuarter. The colour 

 above is reddish ochre, interspersed Mnth -vvhite hairs, the posterior 

 half of the body being adomed with altemate black and \vhite trans- 

 verse fascise, disposed in a mannėr somewhat similar to those of Thy- 

 lacinus cynocephalus. The under parts of the body are yellowish 

 white ; the anterior legs of the šame colour on their inner sides, and 

 of a pale bufF colour extemally ; and the posterior legs of a pale 

 ,buff colour, -n'ith the fore part of the tibise Tvhitish, and the sole en- 

 tirely bare. The hairs of the tail are mixed black, white and red- 

 dish ochre, each of these colours predominating in different parts. 

 The reddish hue of the fore part of the body is gradually blended 

 into the black, which is the prevailing colour of the posterior half, 

 and vvhich is adomed ■vvith nine \vhite fascise ; the first of these 

 fasciae (which is indistinct) commencing rather before the middle of 

 the body, and being, in common \vith the second, interrupted on the 

 back by the ground colour of the bodjr ; the third, fourth, and lašt 

 extending uninterruptedly from side to side ; and the fifth, ' sixth, 

 seventh and eighth, extending over the back, passing •without coming 

 into contact, and thus as it -n-ere dovetailing, -vpith those of the op- 

 posite side. The hedr on the head is very short and of a brownish 

 hue above, (being composed of a mixture of black and reddish-brown 

 •vvith a fe'vv ■n'hite hairs); and vvhitish beneath. The nose and lips 

 are blackish ; and there are a few long black hairs springing from 

 under the eyes and from the sides of the muzzle. The lx)dy is co- 

 vered \vith hair of two kinds ; the outer of ■vvhich is moderately long, 

 rather coarse, and compact on the back and fore parts of the body ; 

 but over the haunches, and on the under surface, where the pouch 

 is situated in the Marsnpials, the hair is long. The under fur is 

 short, fine and rather scanty. The tail is furnished throughout with 

 long hairs." 



In illustration of his paper Mr. Waterhouse exhibited the skin, 

 together with drawings of the animal, of its skull, and of its dentary 

 characters. 



The following notes of the dissection of a specimen of tlie Chilian 

 Bush Rat, Octodon Cumingii, Benn., by Mr. Alartin, ■were read. 



" ITie individual examined was a malė measuring in the length 

 of the head and body 7 inches : the tail was imperfect. 



" On removing the skin from the chest and abdomen, the shape of 

 the xiphoid cartilage was observed to be reniform. 



" The abdominal cavity being exposed, the order of the viscera 

 •was as follows. Occupying its usual situation the liver extended 

 from side to side, \vhile below its edge appeared a portion of the 

 great curvature of the stomach, and also the pyloms emerging from 

 beneath its right lobes ; the duodenum passing from the pylorvs 

 suddenly dipped down, crossed the upper end of both kidneys, and 

 then made a curve upwaids and merged in the jejunum. The chief 

 portion of the abdominal cavity, of comparatively spacious volume, 

 was filled with the convolutions of the intestinal canal. 



