new Xeotropical .}f(nnmals. 437 



wliich ill the meantime has had its skull better prepared, as 

 have the whole series of G. (jrandis skulls, and I liuil that it 

 presents sueh ditl'erences as to deniaml specitic distiuctiou. 

 It may be called 



Geomys scalops, sp. n. 



Fur very short, sparse and hispid. Colour smoky brown, 

 tendinis: rather towards rufous (very near " Frout's brown " of 

 Ridgway). Whiskers and liairs of chin, cheeks, belly, an I 

 feet shining wjiitish ; but these arc all so sparse that the 

 general brown colour of the skin is not atfected by them. No 

 special muzzle, forehead, or ear-markings. Basal incii of tail 

 with a few scattered hairs; the remainder naked. 



Skull of medium form, without any exceptional flattening, 

 expansion behind, or contraction or inflation in the interorbital 

 region. Nasals rather short. Muzzle in region of hinder end 

 of nasals remarkably flat, so flat indeed that nothing of the 

 middle line can be seen in the lateral view of the skull. Ends 

 of premaxillary processes broader than the frontal space 

 between them. Interorbital space flat, parallel-sided, without 

 inflations ; postorbital processes slight but distinct. Occipital 

 plane of skull slightly slanting forward, low, but not very 

 widely expanded. Paioccipital processes running trans- 

 versely outwards, not surpassing the condyles posteriorly, as 

 they do in grandis. Inferior flattened surface of the tip of 

 the maxillary zygomatic processes much shorter and smaller 

 than in that species. Muzzle comparatively very low. 

 Lateral processes of mandibular angles much less produced 

 antero-posteriorly than in G. grandis. 



Incisors deep orange in front, their groove deep, less widely 

 open than in G. grandis ^ slightly inward of the middle line, 

 the inner part of the tooth 44 per cent, of the whole. Molars 

 small. 



Measurements (taken from the dry skin, and therefore 

 merely approximate) : — 



Head and body 270 millim. ; tail 95; hind foot, without 

 claws 40, with claws 45*2. 



Skull:, basal length 63, basilar length to henselion 56*7 ; 

 greatest zygomatic breadth 40'8 ; nasals, length 26, greatest 

 breadth 8 ; least breadth of muzzle above maxillo-pre- 

 maxillary suture 15 ; greatest breadth of premaxillary 

 processes at hinder end of nasals 5*7 ; interorbital breadth 

 14*2 ; tip to tip of postorbital processes 16"2 ; least brccidth 

 just above auditory meatus 26" 7; greatest posterior breadth 

 89 ; posterior height from basion to top of occipital crest 18*4 ; 

 tip to tip of paroccipital processes 27*5 ; palate, length from 



