138 
MR.  E.  T.  BENNETT'S  NOTICE  OF  CRYPTOPROCTA, 
The  body  is  slender,  and  the  limbs  robust  and  of  moderate  length ;  the  head  narrow 
and  slightly  elongated ;  the  glandular  muzzle  small ;  the  nostrils  with  a  deep  lateral 
sinus ;  the  moustaches  numerous  and  stiff,  the  longest  exceeding  the  head  in  length  ; 
the  eyes  rather  small,  and  placed  above  the  angle  of  the  mouth,  the  opening  of  which 
is  not  much  prolonged  backwards ;  the  ears  unusually  large,  rounded,  with  a  fold  on 
the  posterior  margin  and  one  or  two  sinuosities  within,  hairy  both  within  and  without, 
except  in  the  auditory  passage ;  neck  slender ;  anterior  limbs  somewhat  shorter  than 
the  posterior ;  tail,  which  appears  to  be  mutilated  at  the  extremity,  as  long  as  the  body, 
reaching  when  retroverted  to  between  the  ears,  perfectly  cylindrical,  and  uniformly 
hairy ;  soles  of  the  anterior  feet  naked  to  the  whole  extent  of  the  carpus,  of  the  poste- 
rior nearly  to  the  heel ;  claws  retractile,  five  on  each  foot ;  on  the  anterior  sharp  pointed 
and  edged,  compressed,  curved,  short,  and  cat-like ;  on  the  posterior  rather  larger, 
compressed,  less  curved,  and  obtuse.  The  toes  are  united  nearly  to  the  tips ;  on  the 
fore  feet  the  middle  is  the  longest ;  those  on  each  side  are  scarcely  shorter,  and  nearly 
equal  to  each  other ;  the  innermost  and  outermost  also  nearly  equal  to  each  other,  but 
still  shorter  than  the  adjoining  ones  :  on  the  posterior  feet  the  third  and  fourth  toes  are 
nearly  equal  and  somewhat  longer  than  the  second  and  fifth,  the  thumb  being  consi- 
derably shorter. 
The  colour  of  the  whole  upper  and  outer  surfaces  is  of  a  somewhat  light  brownish  red, 
resulting  from  a  mixture  of  brown  and  straw  colour,  in  rings  of  greater  or  less  extent, 
on  each  hair ;  below  and  internally  on  the  limbs  it  is  less  deep,  the  individual  hairs 
being  of  a  more  uniform  colour. 
The  hairs  are  short,  smooth,  and  even  soft  to  the  touch,  and  slightly  crisped ;  mea- 
suring on  the  body  and  tail  from  three  quarters  of  an  inch  to  an  inch  in  length,  and 
becoming  shorter  on  the  head  and  limbs.  The  moustaches  are  black  at  the  base  and 
become  lighter  at  their  tips.  At  the  base  of  the  ears  externally  the  hair  is  rather  long 
and  somewhat  darker  coloured,  but  shorter  and  thinner  at  their  tips ;  the  anterior  part 
of  their  inner  surface  has  a  tuft  of  much  longer  hairs  than  the  rest. 
The  measurements  are  as  follows  : 
Inches. 
Length  from  the  tip  of  the  nose  to  the  root  of  the  tail  ....  13^^ 
of  the  tail  (probably  not  quite  entire)    1 1-rV 
head  
longest  moustache   3-/-5- 
ear  
Breadth  of  the  ear   1-^*^ 
head  at  the  base  of  the  ears   l-rV 
Length  of  the  neck   .  2^- 
arm   2 
fore-arm   2-j-V 
