1891.] PROF. E. C. STIRLING ON NOTORYCTES TYPHLOPS. 329 



unfortunately is also considerably damaged, especially about the 

 occipital region ; but from a cursory exaniination of the recently 

 skinned body, I can note the following points with, I believe, 

 accuracy : — 



" Cranium relatively large, no bony orbits ; zygomatic arches pre- 

 sent ; well-developed shoulder-girdles with slender clavicles, pectoral 

 muscles large ; pelvis large and strong, with a rather wide symphysis 

 pubis, but no epipubic bones, either actual or rudimentary ; ribs 14 ; 

 angle of lower jaw markedly inflected. 



" The teeth are peculiar, and require a more extended description 

 than I can give at present, but the formula appears to be: — 



" This, however, may require some moditication, as just posterior 

 and external to the premolar (or first molar) of the right ramus of 

 the mandible there is a small rudimentary conical tooth, which is 

 not to be found on the opposite side, nor at corresponding positions 

 in the maxilla." 



Portions of a letter since addressed by Professor Stirling, on 29th 

 of October, 1890, to Professor Newton were also read as follows: — 



" .... As to the new beast. ... I am very sorry that various 

 causes .... have prevented my working it out .... It turns out not 

 to be a Monotreme, but a Marsupial, with Mole-like configuration. 

 The marsupial bones are exceedingly small nodules and escaped my 

 notice at first. Four or five of the cervical vertebrae are fused, and 

 there is a keeled sternum, an enormously thick and short first rib, 

 which serves the purpose of buttressing the sternum in lieu of cora- 

 coids; a bird-like pelvis, with theischia abutting on the spinal column ; 

 penis in the urogenital canal, and testes external in front of the penis ; 

 eyes mere pigment-spots underneath the skin and temporalis muscle. 

 Altogether it is a curious beast .... the Mole-type of Marsupials. 

 It has a remarkable habit of burrowing for long distances in the 

 sand, and with great rapidity .... I have four specimens, but only 

 one in good preservation, which is not to be wondered at when I say 

 that they came 1500 miles wrapped up in a kerosined rag, and I 

 have not been able to get any more .... This is the whole story 

 and I regret the delay .... While I am working it out I should like 

 to keep all the specimens I have, as, with one exception, they are 

 not good alike in the soft parts, and I shall want them to supplement 

 each other." 



In a later letter from Prof. Stirling, dated 29th March, 1891, he in- 

 formed the same correspondent that he was then about to cross the 

 Australian continent from Port Darwin to Adelaide, where he ex- 

 pected to arrive about the present time, hoping to travel through the 

 portion of the country inhabited by Notoryctes, and to obtain from 

 the natives some more specimens, though he was careful to say that 

 •' they are not common " there. The full description of this form 

 had, it was understood, already appeared in the ' Transactions of the 

 Royal Society of South Australia,' though no copy of it had yet 

 reached England. 



