212 



MISS DOKOTHEA BATE ON A NEW GENUS 



the British Museum are either very imperfect or else considerably 

 crushed and distorted. The infraorbital foramen opet)s anteriorly 

 and, as well as can be seen in the type specimen of Hypnoiays 

 mahonensis (PI. I. fig. 2), it has a greatest length of about 3 mm. 

 and occupies .a median position between the two roots of the 

 zygomatic process of the maxilla. The lachrymal foramen shows 

 an extension of similar length, but ovoid in form, in front of the 

 infraorbital foramen much as in Muscardimts, and without the 

 lower lateral expansion seen in Eliomys. The outer wall of the 

 infraorbital canal is very robust, broadly concave anterioi'ly, with 

 a distinct outstanding point in front of its base, which is wide 

 owing to the hinder border being produced outwards from above 

 the first molar. 



The anterior palatine foramina start a short distance behind 

 the incisors and penetrate the palatal plate of the maxillae for 

 some distance, their extent being comparable with that obtaining 

 in Eliomys. The palate (PI. I. fig. 1) is not completely preserved 

 in any of the specimens, but can be seen to be wide and gently 

 concave and chiefly composed of the palatal plate of the maxillfe, 

 which extends posteiiorly about as far as the hinder border of 

 the second molar. The palatal plate of the palatines is hardly 

 shown but can certainly have formed only an insignificant 

 portion of the palate. 



Text-fieure 1. 



Left mandibular rami of : — 



A. Leithia melitensis (B.M. 49342 D), 



B. Hypnomys morpheus (H.M. M 11097), 



C. Eliomys lusitanictis (recent specimen). X 1^. 



Mandible. — In general plan the mandible (text-fig. 1, B) is 

 essentially as in Eliomys (text-fig. 1, C), from which it yet differs 

 strikingly, although this diffei'ence is easier to observe than to 

 describe. That of Eliomys may be s:iid to have an aspect of 



