THE GYMNURAS 



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Fossil hedgehogs were met with in the Tertiary rocks of Europe as 

 ' s far back as the early portion of the Miocene period. Some of the 

 extinct hedgehogs belonged to the existing genus Erinaceus ; and one of them 

 (E. (zningensis) , from the middle Tertiary fresh-water limestones of Baden, ap- 

 pears to be allied to the Algerian hedgehog, being totally different in the structure 

 of its teeth from the common European species. Others are, however, distinguished 

 by having a complete bony roof to the palate, and these form a distinct genus, 

 which may be allied in this respect to the gymnuras. 



Characteristics 



THK GYMNURAS 

 Genus Gymnura 



The gymnuras, which are not unlike large rough-haired shrews, take the place 

 of the hedgehogs in Burma and the Malayan region. Although closely allied to 

 the hedgehogs in the structure of their teeth and other details of their anatomy, 

 these Insectivores are so unlike them in external appearance that it is difficult to 

 believe in their close affinity. It must be remembered, however, that the spines of 

 the hedgehogs totally alter the appearance of the creature from what it would be if 

 unprovided with these appendages ; and if we were to compare a gymnura with a 

 young hedgehog, in which the spines were still rudimentary, the difference in 

 appearance would not be so very marked. 



The gymnuras are distinguished from the hedgehogs by the total 

 absence of spines ; and also by the long naked tail, from which they 

 derive their name. Further points of distinction are afforded by the complete 

 bony roof to the palate, and also by the larger number of teeth in the gymnuras, 

 which is upwards of forty-four. 

 The large and typical number 

 of teeth characteristic of these 

 animals is, indeed, but very 

 rarely met with among existing 

 Mammals, although it was com- 

 mon amongst extinct forms. In 

 this respect, therefore, the gym- 

 nura betrays the antiquity of the 

 group to which it belongs. 



Raffles's gymnura {Gymnura 

 rafflesi ) so named after Sir 



Stamford Raffles is an animal somewhat resembling a large rat with a long 

 pointed nose; the length of the head and body varying from twelve to fourteen 

 inches, and that of the long rat-like tail from" eight and one-half to nine and one- 

 half inches. The head and body are generally parti-colored, with considerable in- 

 dividual variation in the distribution of the black and white. Usually, however, 

 the greater part of the head and neck is white ; but there is a black patch in front 



GYMNURA. 



