nAPLODONTIDiE— EXTERNAL CHARACTERS OF n. RUFDS. 559 



to the pelage proper of the parts; while there is a scattering patch of the 

 same on the chin. The countenance of the animal literally " bristles"; anil, 

 as we shall see, similar long colorless bristles occur on other parts of the 

 body. 



The eyes are situated in a line between the extremity of the snout and 

 the middle of the ear, about half-way, but rather nearer the ear. They are 

 remarkably small, the diameter between the canthi being only about a quarter 

 of an inch, and appear somewhat sunken and inexpressive, from the tumidity 

 of the lids. The ear, it has been said, " strongly resembles the human one in 

 form", and may be conceded to be not strongly dissimilar in some respects, the 

 auricle being rounded above, with a folded-over anterior edge, having a 

 thickened projection near the base in front to represent the human antitragus, 

 and a fleshy dependent part opposite, in the place of the human lobe. The 

 ear is situated upon the most prominent postero-superior aspect of the head, 

 and rises about as high as the fur of the surrounding parts ; an anterior 

 fourth of the auricle is folded over ; when pressed out flat, the contour of the 

 auricle is nearly semicircular. The antitragal prominence continues far into 

 the cavity, forming a fold which bounds the meatus above; the lower bound- 

 ary of the external meatus is the large thick fleshy lobe already alluded to ; 

 it seems to be mobile, and is probably capable of closing the orifice by its 

 apposition with the antitragal ridge. The ear is clothed uniformly with short 

 soft hairs ; there are some longer ones cm the concavity which overtop the 

 auricle, thus forming a decided frinfr , and other long ones in tufls on the 

 borders ot the ear near its base. '''. nese longer hairs are colored ; the very 

 short ones on the back of the ear, and others on the fleshy lobe, are colorless. 



The fore limbs are close to the head ; the outline from the head down 

 the front leg is a continuous curve, and the point of the shoulder seems 

 scarcely half an inch from the back lower corner of the skull. The massive- 

 ness and muscularity of the upper portions of the limb, no less than the 

 structure of the hand, indicate great fossorial powers, reminding one of the 

 condition of the parts in Geomyida.* From the stout shoulder and prominent 

 elbow, the fore limb becomes conoidal, tapering rapidly to the contracted 

 wrist, where the ordinary long pelage of the body ceases. The back of the 



* If A opIoiiM pimcMed external ponohes, ito inperfleial Appenranoe— the atout, eqnst, lampy 

 flgare, the large heitd, apparent abeenoe of neck, short legs, highly fossorial fore feet, with enorinous 

 fore olaws and great tnberclea at the wrist— wonld more strongly resemble Otvmy than any other 

 animals of this oonntry. 



