514 SOLENODON CHAP. 
Solenodon. This genus, including two species, one from Cuba, 
the other from Hayti, was at one time referred to the Centetidae. 
It offers, however, numerous points of difference from the 
members of that family with some general points of agreement. 
Possibly its isolation in the two West Indian islands mentioned is 
comparable to the isolation of the Centetidae in Madagascar ; 
they are both survivors of an ancient group of Insectivores 
extinct elsewhere. So/enodon has nearly the complete dentition. 
It has lost only one premolar, and has therefore forty teeth in 
all: The formula is thus 13 C+ Pm 3 M3. It also differs from 
the Centetidae in having only two inguinal mamunae instead of 
both inguinal and thoracic; the penis of the male does not project 
from a cloaca, but hes forward. On the other hand, the molars 
have their cusps arranged in the V-fashion of the Centetidae, a 
fact, however, which, in the opinion of some, merely points to an 
ancient. trituberculism not indicative of special affinity. It has, 
moreover, no zygoma in the skull, and there is no caecum. 
Dr. Dobson has furthermore tabulated a number of differences in 
muscular anatomy between the two families. Solenodon has a 
long naked tail. The snout, always developed in Insectivores, is 
extraordinarily long in this genus. It is a furry, not a spiny 
animal. SS. cwbanus is lable to fits of rage when irritated, a 
feature which it has in common with Shrews and Moles; it 1s 
also stated to have the ostrich-like way of concealing its head in 
a crevice, “apparently thinking itself then secure.” But nothing 
is known of the genus in a wild state. 
Fam. 6. Chrysochloridae.—This family contains only the 
genus Chrysochloris, comprising some five species, all natives of 
Africa south of the equator. The scientific name of the genus, and 
also the vernacular name Cape Golden Mole, are derived from the 
beautiful iridescent hairs which are intermingled with softer and 
non-iridescent fur. Chrysochloris has V-shaped cusped teeth like 
those that are possessed by the Centetidae and Solenodontidae. 
In the skull as in the Macroscelidae, ete., but not in the Centetidae, 
there are complete zygomata. They are Moles in habit, and the 
eyes are covered with skin; the ears, moreover, have no conches. 
The teeth are forty or thirty-six in number, the reduction being 
caused by the losing of a molar in those forms which possess the 
smaller number.’ It is interesting to notice that the adapta- 
1 The generic name of Chalcochloris was proposed by Dr. Mivart for these. 
