x.] INSECTIVORA. 153 



opening. There is a small " prenasal " ossicle in the anterior 

 extremity of the mesethmoid cartilage, as in the Pig. 



In the Cape Golden Mole {Chrysochloris) the cranium is 

 conical, very broad and rounded behind, and pointed in 

 front. There are no postorbital processes. The zygoma is 

 complete, and tolerably strong. The tympanies ankylose 

 with the skull, and form a completely ossified bulla. 



In the Shrews (Soricidce) the cranium is broad behind and 

 tapering forwards. The facial portion is long and narrow. 

 The occiput slopes much forwards. There is no zygoma 

 and no postorbital process. The postglenoid process of the 

 squamosal is remarkably large. The tympanic is ring-like, 

 and there is a large unossified space on each side of the 

 base of the skull. 



The mandible in the Insectivora has generally an elon- 

 gated and rather narrow horizontal portion, above which 

 the transversely extended condyle is but slightly elevated, 

 and there are well developed coronoid and angular processes; 



«latter is remarkably long and slender in the Shrews, 

 he hyoid is formed generally like that of the Carnivora, 

 three complete extracranial ossifications in the anterior 

 arch, a transversely extended basihyal, and tolerably long, 

 stout, flattened thyrohyals, sometimes ankylosed with the 

 basihyal. 



Order Chiroptera. — In the large Frugivorous Bats 

 (Pterofius), the cranium is generally elongated, the cerebral 

 cavity large, oval, arched above, and contracted in front ; 

 its walls formed mainly by the greatly expanded parietals, 

 both supraoccipital and frontals being small. In old indi- 

 viduals of some species there are well-marked sagittal and 

 occipital crests. The base of the cranium is elongated, flat, 

 and thin. The facial part is long and rather compressed. 





