5 I 4 SOLENODON 



Solenodon. This genus, including two species, one from Cuba, 

 the other from Hayti, was at one time referred to the Centetidae. 

 It offers, however, numerous points of difference from the 

 members of that family with some general points of agreement. 

 Possibly its isolation in the two West Indian islands mentioned is 

 comparable to the isolation of the Centetidae in Madagascar; 

 they are both survivors of an ancient group of Insectivores 

 extinct elsewhere. Solenodon has nearly the complete dentition. 

 It has lost only one premolar, and has therefore forty teeth in 

 all. The formula is thus I -f C ^ Pm |- j\I ^. It also differs from 

 the Centetidae in having only two inguinal mammae instead of 

 both inguinal and thoracic ; the penis of the male does not project 

 from a cloaca, but lies forward. On the other hand, the molars 

 have their cusps arranged in the V-fashion of the Centetidae, a 

 fact, however, which, in the opinion of some, merely points to an 

 ancient trituberculism not indicative of special affinity. It has, 

 moreover, no zygoma in the skull, and there is no caecum. 

 Dr. Dobson Iras furthermore tabulated a number of differences in 

 muscular anatomy between the two families. Solenodon has a 

 long naked tail. The snout, always developed in Insectivores, is 

 extraordinarily long in this genus. It is a furry, not a spiny 

 animal. S. cuhanus is liable to fits of rage when irritated, a 

 feature which it has in common with Shrews and Moles ; it is 

 also stated to have the ostrich-like way of concealing its head in 

 a crevice, " apparently thinking itself then secure." But nothing 

 is known of the genus in a wild state. 



Fam. 6. Chrysochloridae. — This family contains only the 

 genus Chrysochloris, comprising some five species, all natives of 

 Africa south of the equator. The scientific name of the genus, and 

 also the vernacular name Cape Golden ]\Iole, are derived from the 

 beautiful iridescent hairs which are intermingled with softer and 

 non-iridescent fur. Chrysochloris has V-shaped cusped teeth like 

 those that are possessed by the Centetidae and Solenodontidae. 

 In the skull as in the Macroscelidae, etc., but not in the Centetidae, 

 there are complete zygomata. They are Moles in habit, and the 

 eyes are covered with skin ; the ears, moreover, have no conches. 

 The teeth are forty or thirty-six in number, the reduction being 

 caused by the losing of a molar in those forms which possess the 

 smaller number.^ It is interesting to notice that the adapta- 



1 The generic name of ChalcocMoris was proposed by Dr. Mivart for these. 



