XV THE CAPE MOLE-RAT 481 
the nostrils are small, and the forehead but little expanded 
between them. 
The genus Bathyergus contains but a single species, the Cape 
Mole-Rat, which is found in Southern Africa ; it is of moderate 
size, not exceeding a small Rabbit in dimensions. On _ the 
fore-limbs are exceedingly long claws, of which that borne by 
the second finger is the longest, and the claw of the thumb the 
shortest. The hind-feet have by no means such long claws. 
The scratching and burrowing is naturally chiefly effected by the 
fore-lmbs. The small and large intestines are of equal length, 
and each is rather more than six times the length of the caecum ; 
in these measurements the present genus differs from the next. 
Georhychus. — Of this African genus there are about ten 
species. The claws are not so long as in the last genus, but 
there are, as in Bathyergus, four molar teeth on each half of 
each jaw. The intestinal measurements in an example of G. 
capensis were: small intestine, 25 inches; caecum, 4 inches ; 
large intestine, 15 inches. 
The genus Myoscalops or Heliphobius (also with an African 
range) has six back teeth on each side. A number of species 
sometimes referred to the last genus are placed here by Mr. 
Thomas. The claws are small. 
One of the most remarkable genera of this family is the little 
Heterocephalus from Abyssinia and Somaliland. As Mr. Thomas 
justly remarks, it “is a peculiar-looking little creature, about the 
size of the Common Mouse, but looking almost more lke a tiny 
hairless puppy on account of its nearly naked skin, small eyes, 
and peculiar physiognomy.” Though apparently naked, there are 
numerous scattered hairs over the entire body, and the toes are 
fringed with stiffish. hairs, which must be advantageous to a 
burrowing animal. There are two species, H. glaber (originally 
described by Riippell), and H. phillipsii, of which our knowledge 
is due to Mr. Thomas. The length of the entire creature in- 
cluding the tail is not more than 134 mm., both species being 
approxinately of the same dimensions. Mr. Lort Phillips, the 
discoverer of -the species which bears his name, writes “that this 
little creature, called ‘ Farumfer’ by the Somali, throws up in 
places groups of miniature craters, which exactly resemble 
voleanoes in active eruption. When the little beasts were at:- 
1 “* Notes on the Rodent genus Heterocephalus,” Proc. Zool. Soc. 1885, p. 845. 
MOK. x 21 
