AND AFFINITIES OF POTAMOGALE. 



Right ear, enlarged. 



extends over it from the septum, and by which it may be completely closed ; the two 

 valves form together a heart-shaped, naked shield by which the muzzle is terminated. 



The ears (fig. 4) are inserted about half an inch behind the eyes, and project for about 

 the same distance from the head. They are rounded, Fig. 4. 



the breadth being about two-thirds of the height ; 

 and at about one-fourth from the summit they have 

 a deep notch on their posterior edge : tlie upper 

 fourth is quite naked, but the rest is clothed with 

 silky hairs. The helix is distinct anteriorly and 

 posteriorly, but is obsolete towards the tip ; the 

 anthelix is represented by a short, nearly trans- 

 verse ridge ; the tragus is indistinct, but the anti- 

 tragus is well developed. 



The eyes are very small. The opening of the 

 eyelids, when fully expanded, is one-tenth of an 

 inch in its antero-posterior, and a little less in its 

 vertical diameter; it leads into an oval palpebral 

 chamber, which extends for some distance beneath the anterior and posterior margins, 

 somewhat further posteriorly than anteriorly. In the specimen, the globe of the eye was 

 retracted into this cavity, and thus rendered difficult to detect ; it is about one-twelfth of 

 an inch in diameter, and, so far as could be determined from the state of the specimen, 

 is completely developed, and receives an optic nerve fully proportioned to its size. 



The fore limbs, as far as the wrist, are clothed with moderately long hair, which on the 

 back of the metacarpal bones becomes very short and appressed, and is thus continued 

 over the back of the fingers as far as the claws ; the whole of the palm, with the under- 

 side of the fingers, is naked (fig. 5 a). The fingers are five in number, and are connected 

 at their bases by a very narrow extension of the skin, but nothing like a distinct web is 

 developed ; they gradually increase in length from the outer finger to the middle, which is 

 the longest of all ; the index is a very little shorter than the 

 annularis ; and the pollex, which is inserted a little further 

 back than the index, is the shortest. The claws are of mo- 

 derate size, nearly equal on all the fingers, compressed, curved, 

 and with a furrow on the underside. 



The hind limbs are clothed, as far as the tarsus, with 

 moderately long hair, which becomes short and appressed 

 upon the entire back of the foot as far as the claws ; the entire 

 sole of the foot is naked (fig. 5 b). The toes are five in 

 number ; the outer and inner toes are the shortest, the 

 inner being a little shorter than the outer; the second, 

 third, and fourtli are nearly equal to one anotlicr in length ; the second and third are 



Feet, jjlantar Biirface.- 



A. Ilight anterior. 



B. Eight posterior. 



