370 ON A WILD CAMEL FROM EASTERN TURKESTAN. [May 17, 



exaggerated extent and it is insectivorous. Consequently the feet 

 and the caecum might give some hidden clue as to its affinities. 



The toes of the hinder extremities have to be considered as free. 

 There is at the utmost a very slight indication of syndactylism of 

 the second and third toes, far less obvious than it is even in Phasco- 

 lomys. In its free toes Notoryctes agrees with DidelphidcB, 

 Dasyurus, Thylacinus, Phascologale, Myrmecobius, Phascolomys. 



The hallux is complete and functional, as in Bidelphidce, Phasco- 

 logale, Phascolomys ; this character excludes Dasyurus, Thylacinus, 

 Myrmecobius, Antechinomys. 



The pronounced syndactyhsm and the well-developed caecum of 

 the PhalangistincB, Phascolarctos, Perameles, Ohceropus, and the 

 MacropodidcB exclude these families from comparison. 



The structure of the foot invites, therefore, comparison of 

 Notoryctes with Bidelphidce, Phascologale, and Phascolomys ; the 

 latter is excluded by its herbivorous life and by its Diprotodont 

 teeth. The comparison is now restricted to the Bidelphidce and to 

 certain Basyuridce, especially Phascologale. 



The geographical distribution of the Bidelphidce would remove 

 them from Notoryctes, but it is to be remembered that the Bidel- 

 phidce seem to be the lowest and most " generalized " of existing 

 Marsupials, and that in bygone times they had a much wider 

 distribution. Chironectes shows that the Bidelphidce are capable ot 

 a great amplitude of adaptation, namely to arboreal and to aquatic 

 life. However, it is unnecessary to go so far afield in the search of 

 the nearest kin of Notoryctes. Through the possession of an 

 element of a prehallux, Notoryctes, like the Bidelphidce, stands below 

 the Basyuridce ; in the reduction of its teeth it is further advanced 

 than the latter. Although its numerous Edentate resemblances are 

 clearly all acquired owing to its mode of life, they are important 

 enough to give Notoryctes the rank of a family of the Polyproto- 

 dont Marsupials, as has been done on other grounds by Mr. Ogilby, 

 this family being nearer allied to the Basyuridce than to the 

 Peramelidce. 



May 17, 1892. 

 Prof. Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. 



Mr. W. T. Blauford exhibited for Major C. S. Cumberland the 

 skin of a Wild Camel obtained by the latter in Eastern Turkestan, as 

 described in ' Land and "Water ' for April 4th, 1991, p. 412, and ex- 

 pressed his belief that this was the first wild Camel's skin that had 

 ever been brought to this country. Major Cumberland had hoped 

 to be present, but was unfortunately prevented by illness. He had, 

 however, sent the following notes to be read to the meeting : — 



" The habitat of the Wild Camel is the Gobi steppe from Khotan 

 to Lob Nor. Except when snow lies on the ground these animals 

 may be met with here and there along the old bed of the Yarkand 



