23 



pressing a delinite opinion as to its nature and affinities, and the 

 following remarks must be taken as provisional only. 



Though the integumentary pouch and marked inflection of the 

 angle of the mandible point to its marsupial nature, there is no 

 trace, even in a rudimentary form, of epipubic or marsupial bones, 

 which are nearly always present in the marsupialia. On the 

 other hand, the absence of a separate urgo-genital orifice (if this 

 should be confirmed) suggests that it is a new member of the 

 order Monotremata, of which the Platypus and Echidnas are the 

 ■only known representatives. The characters of the manus and 

 pes, the well-developed shoulder girdle and relatively large pec- 

 toral muscles, together with the absence or extremely rudimentary 

 condition of the eyes, are plainly suggestive of the subterranean, 

 burrowing, and probably nocturnal habits ; while the character 

 of the teeth and the actual contents of w^hat little there was left 

 of the lower bowel prove it to be insectivorous in its feeding. 



The dentition is certainly remarkable, and both in the shape of 

 the mandible and in the general characters of the teeth there ap- 

 pears both to Mr. Zietz and myself a strong resemblance to the 

 pictures of the fossil jaw^s of the extinct Amphitherium figured in 

 the works of Owen and others. If this resemblance should be 

 confirmed by closer examination, the discovery of this animal, 

 apart from its mole-like characters, will be of high zoological 

 interest, inasmuch as these jaws of Amphitherium found in the 

 lower Oolite at Stonesfield, in Oxfordshire, associated with the 

 remains of Plesiosaurs and Pterodactyls, are among the earliest 

 remains of the class Mammalia known to the sreolos'ist. 



On the interesting points which are raised by this supposed 

 resemblance it is, however, unsafe to speculate at present, nor, as 

 will have been seen, are we yet in a position to define with cer- 

 tainty its relation to existing types. I merely submit to the 

 Society these preliminary and necessp.rily incomplete notes in 

 deference to the interest which has been excited by the announce- 

 ment of the discovery of this very interesting animal, singular 

 even in this land of curious and antique types. 



To Mr. Zietz, assistant Museum Director, I am much indebted 

 for valuable assistance in the preparation and examination of 

 the specimen. 



Since the above notes were in type, Mr. A. Molineux has been 

 good enough to forward me an extract from a letter recently 

 received by him from his nephew, Mr. Charles Benham, who 

 originally found the animal. Mr. Benham writes as follows : — 

 " I found it during daylight about 4 p.m., on a big sand hill. I 

 tracked it for about fifteen yards, but saw no burrow. It would 

 <;rawl or walk a few feet, and then scratch a very small hole, 

 then go on again and scratch another hole. There was no knowir 



