1884.] 



MR. G. K. DOBSON ON CAPROMYS MELANURUS. 



235 



looking backwards and downwards, and open close together, that of 

 the vagina by a transverse crescentic slit, in front of which the long 

 prepuce of the clitoris projects. 



The fur of the body is rather long and woolly, made up uf two 

 kinds of hairs — a basal close moderately tine fur, light brown, with the 

 terminal thirds of the hairs pale yellowish, and longer black hairs, 

 which, at intervals, [)roject ; on the tail the fur is made up altogether 

 of these long black hairs (blackish-brown in alcohol), which arise 

 thickly from between the regular whorls of scales which cover the 

 integument and project from tlie caudal extremity, forming a pencil 

 nearly an inch in length. The head is covered with fur similar to 

 that of the body but shorter, and the sides of the muzzle support 

 long black vibrissse, some of whicli project backwards behind the 

 head. The under surface of the head, neck, and body is slightly 

 paler than the back 



The following measurements, in inches and millimetres, have been 

 taken from an apparently adult female preserved in alcohol : — Length, 

 head and body, measured along the back, 13" (329 mm.), ear 1" 

 (25 mm.), eye from end of muzzle l"-35 (34 mm.), tail 10"'5 (266 

 mm.), olecranon to end of middle digit (without claw) 3"-5 (88 mm.), 

 manus to end of middle claw I"-6 (41 mm.), pollex 0"i (4 mm.), 

 middle toe (with claw) 0"-9 (23 mm.), tibia 2"-55 (65 mm.), pes to 

 end of middle claw 2"-7 (68 mm.), middle toe (with claw) 1"-15 

 (30 mm.), hallux (with claw) 0""6 (15 mm.). 



The measurements of the skull, as compared with those of the 

 other three species of the genus, is shown below, in miUimetres. 



The measurements of the skulls of C. pilorides and C. brachyiirus, 

 as given above, were taken from those ot evidently old animals, 

 probably males, as shown by the development of the sagittal and 

 occipital crests, the anchylosed condition of the suture between the 



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