F. STOLICZKA;, ON OXYGLOSSUS PUSILLUS 



bone which gives support to a rather elongated ossified spur^ (sp) projecting 

 on the internal side of the tarsal bones. The metatarsal bones (mt) 

 are five, the first being the shortest ; the second half the length of the 

 fourth, which is the longest ; and the third and fifth are equal, or very 

 nearly so. The first supports two very short phalanges, the second equally 

 so, but the phalanges are a little longer ; the third and fifth have three 

 and the fourth has four phalanges. From the way in which the toes 

 are generally placed close together, it is very probable that they were 

 united by a web reaching very nearly to their tips. 



The followins: are the mean measurements "of a large number of 

 specimens as regards the various bones, and I add some of the measure- 

 ments of a recent species of the same genus : — 



Oxyglossus jpusillus, Owen. 



Total length of the body, J§ of an inch 



Length of the head, -^^ „ j 



Posterior width of the head, i§ „ 



Length of the sacral vertebra, 



including the ilia andischia H „ 



Length of humerus, :^ „ 



„ ulna and radius, /^ „ 



„ 4th metacarpal bone, 



a little more than 5% „ 



„ femur, ^% 



„ . tibia and fibula, \% „ 

 „ calcaneus and astra- 

 galus, 5% » 

 „ 4th metatarsal bone, /„ » 



Total length of anterior ex- 

 tremity, ^ „ 



„ posterior ex- 



tremity, f§ „ 



Oxyglossus IcBvis, Gray (recent). 



l^%of aniiich, 

 1 1 



a little more than 



-'•40 



From these short and general osteological remarks it is evident that 

 the fossil in question belongs to the Hanida, as first pointed out by Prof. 

 Owen. There are actually no essential distinctions traceable in any of the 

 details of our skeletons from those of the Eanidm. The want of vomerine 

 teeth, however, characterizes the fossil species as an Oxyglossus and not 

 ( 390 ) 



