VII. On the Skull of Tarsipes rostratus. 
By Professor W. K. Parker, F.R.S. 
[Received March 28, 1889.] 
THis paper contains the description of a scarcely-adult skull of Tarsipes, belonging 
to the Museum of University College, Dundee, and placed in my hands by Professor 
D'Arcy W. THomeson.” The account of the skull of Tarsipes given by GERVAIS 
and VERREAUX, by WATERHOUSE, and others, and the short notes thereon in manuals 
and catalogues by, for instance, FLowER and OLDFIELD THOMAS, are very incomplete, 
and the figures scanty. This tiny and somewhat aberrant skull seemed, accordingly, 
to deserve a special description. 
In the general aspect of the skull, we are struck by the relatively small size 
and extreme slenderness of the whole naso-maxillary region, by the imperfect 
definition of the orbits, and by the great expansion of the cranial region, all the 
parts behind the exit of the optic nerve being swollen and large. 
The superficial cranial bones are extremely thin, glassy lamine; the parieto- 
frontal fontanelle persists, doubtless owing to the specimen being not quite full- 
grown, and a large post-orbital fontanelle also exists between the orbital plate of 
the frontal above and the orbitosphenoid and alisphenoid below ; this last is due to 
arrest of growth in the orbital plate, as well as to the exceedingly minute size of 
the orbitosphenoid bone. 
The nasal bones are very narrow anteriorly, and are nearly twice as long as 
the frontals ; on their posterior and outer border they come into relation in a very 
curious way with the lachrymals. : 
The frontals are, as is usually the case in Marsupials, comparatively small, 
being not much more than half as broad as the parietals. Anteriorly they are 
excluded by the lachrymals from articulation with the maxillary. 
The narrow inter-orbital “waist” is just one-fourth the width of the middle of 
the parietal region. Laterally, the frontals send down inside the orbit an extremely 
thin orbital plate, which is deficient behind, and in front is so thin where it walls in 
the nasal labyrinth that the turbinals shine through (Fig. 1). 
Behind the great vaulted parietals is a very large oblong inter-parietal, which 
in size and shape recalls that of the half-grown Mole. Its sinuous outer border 
articulates with the mastoid. 
* The specimen, a male, was obtained, together with other scarce Marsupials, from Mr Henry Warp, 
Rochester, N.Y. 
