PROCEEDINGS 



GENERAL MEETINGS FOR SCIENTIFIC BUSINESS 



ZOOLOGICxlL SOCIETY OF LONDON 



PAPERS. 



16. On the Structure ot" the Skull in Chrysoelihms. 

 By R. Broom, M.D., D.Sc, C.M.Z.S. 



[Received April 25, 1916 : Head May 23, 1916.] 



(Pktes I., II.* and Text-figures 1-3.) 



The examination of the Organ of Jacobson and the nasal 

 cartilages in the Cape Golden Mole, the results of which I 

 recently communicated to the Society t, showed that Ghryso- 

 chloris is not, as has been generally held, an ally of Centetes, nor 

 indeed apparently of any of the small mammals which are usually 

 grouped together as " Insectivoi'a," and that the Golden Moles 

 ought to be placed in an Order by themselves to which Dobson's 

 name of Ohrysochloridea may be applied. As the type is so 

 unique, it seemed worth wliile to make a careful study of the 

 skull. 



Hitherto very little has been known of the skull of Chrysochloris. 

 Though the animal is not at all rare, it is not often seen unless 

 specially looked for, and probably only a very small proportion 

 of the inhabitants of South Africa have ever seen one, except 

 perhaps in a Museum. Most of the larger museums have a 

 number of skins and skulls, but, as is the case with many small 

 mammals, the cranial bones in the adult are so completely 



* For explanation of the Plates sen p. 458. 

 t P.Z.S. 1915, p. 347. 



Proc. Zool. Soc— 1916, No. XXXII. 32 



