158 Dr. Harlan on a new Genus of Edentata. 



furnished with an enlarged cartilage, as in the hog ; the anterior 

 nares opening downwards at the inferior border. 



The whole surface of the body covered with fine silk-like hair, 

 longer and finer than that of the mole, but not so thick set. The 

 anterior of the chest is large, full, and strong; the anterior ex- 

 tremities, short, clumsy, and powerful ; the hair is continued for 

 some distance on the palm — the phalanges of the hand united ; 

 five powerful nails rising gradually one above the other ; the ex- 

 ternal shortest and broadest ; the whole so arranged as to form a 

 sharp cutting instrument, somewhat scooped ; very convenient for 

 progression under ground ; and such as must very much impede 

 motion on the surface. Hind legs weak and short — feet long and 

 narrow ; the sole resembles considerably the human foot, having 

 a well defined heel, which rests flat upon the ground, and being 

 arched in the middle ; toes separate, nails flattened horizontally. 



Skull. At first view, the bones of the cranium and face would 

 appear to constitute one solid case, the remnants of sutures are 

 indistinctly visible in some parts only. The cavity of the cranium 

 is capacious ; the greatest breadth, which is from ear to ear, is 

 one inch ; the greatest depth five-tenths ; length of the cavity, 

 seven-tenths. One of the most remarkable peculiarities of this 

 skull, consists in the two processes of bone above alluded to, 

 which project obliquely, forward, upward, and outward; from the 

 OS frontis, anterior to the cavity of the cranium, and directly above 

 the malar bone ; giving to the front of the skull an aspect totally 

 unique ; these prominences are hollow, communicating with the 

 frontal sinuses, and must contribute in a great measure to enlarge 

 the organ of smell : there exists a considerable concavity between 

 them, which in the recent state, was filled with an adipose, gristly 

 mass, which served to unite the skull to the plates above. The 

 snout commences anteriorly to these processes, and is rapidly atten- 

 uated and depressed. The ossa nasi are broad and strong, slightly 

 arched transversely, extending anteriorly beyond the os incisivum, 

 as does likewise the osseous septum narium. The zygomatic pro- 

 cesses are laterally arched ; a small pointed process, descending 

 near the malar bone (somewhat like that in the sloth) ; the zygo- 

 matic fossse, are large. 



