1899.] XEOMYLODON LISTAI FllOM PATAGONIA. 149 



0'02 m. in diameter, which might possibly have been caused by a 

 bullet or a dagger, but in auy case was probably pierced when the 

 skin was still fresh. Owing to it.s direction, this hole is partly 

 obscured by the overhanging hair in PI. XIII. 



The skin in its dried state varies in thickness in different parts. 

 The average thickness of the flattened portion, which must be 

 referred to the back, is shown by the cleanly-cut right margin 

 of the specimen to be 0*01 m. This is slightlj'' increased towards 

 the posterior (lower) end of the border ; u hile above it, at E, the 

 thickness becomes 0-015 m. The latter thickness also seems to 

 be attained in the much-shrivelled corner marked C — a circumstance 

 suggesting bilateral symmetry between at least part of the two 

 anterior outer angles of the specimen. The thinnest portion 

 preserved is the border above B ; and the skin must also have been 

 comparatively thin in the region of the accidental notch to the 

 left, considerably below C. 



The portion of skin above B is interesting not only from its 

 relative thinness, but also from the occurrence of an apparently- 

 natural rounded concavity in the margin. This excavation, which 

 measures 0"05 m. along the curve, is marked by the remains of a 

 thin flexible flap, A^hich is sharply bent outwards, and is covered 

 with short hairs on its outer face. It is especially suggestive of 

 tlie base of an ear-conch ; and if this appearance be not deceptive, 

 it is worthy of note that the dried skin hereabouts and in the region 

 which would have to be interpreted as cheek (C) is much more 

 wrinkled than elsewhere. 



As alread)'^ mentioned, the outer aspect of the skin is completely 

 covered with hair, which is very dense everywhere except on the 

 left anterior corner. Here it seems to have been removed by 

 abrasion. A small patch of hair has also clearly been pulled out 

 near the gap in the left border of the specimen ; and close to the 

 middle (where marked D) there is a small hairless depression 

 which may perhaps be interpreted as a wound inflicted and healed 

 during life. The hair is only of one kind, without any trace of 

 under-fur, and it is still very firmly implanted in the skin, without 

 signs of decay. Its arrangement seems to bequite regular, there being 

 no tendency towards its segregation into small groups or bundles. 

 It is of a uniform dirty yellowish or light yellowish-brown colour, 

 and, making due allowance for slight ruffling and distortion of 

 the specimen, it may be described as all lying in one direction, 

 vertically in the drawing (PI. XIII.), except at the two upturned 

 anterior corners of the specimen, where there is an inclination from 

 the right and left respectively towards the centre. The longest 

 hairs, which usually measure from 0-05 m. to 0-065 m. in length, are 

 observed in the half of the specimen in front of (above) the letter 

 D. Those in the middle of the extreme anterior (upper) border 

 measure from 0-03 m. to 0-05 m. in length, those at the hinder 

 (lower) border about the same ; while some of the comparatively 

 small and delicate hairs on the supposed cheek are not longer than 

 £)-01 m. The hairs are stiff, straight, or only very slightly wavy, 



