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MR.  E.  T.  BENNETT'S  REMARKS  ON  THE  GENUS  LAGOTIS. 
Genus  Lagotis,  Benn. 
1.  Lagotis  Cuvieri,  Benn. 
Lag.  auriculis  caput  longitudine  (equantibus ;  vellere  longiore ;  caudce  setis  albidis  nigris- 
que ;  pedibus  cinereis. 
Hab.  in  Peruvia. 
2.  Lagotis  pallipes. 
Lag .  auriculis  capite  brevioribus ;  vellere  brevi;  cauda  setis  ferrugineis  ;  ventre  pedibusque 
fulvescentibus,  his  pallidioribus. 
Hab.  in  Chilise  montosis. 
The  general  form  of  the  body  of  Lag.  pallipes  is  apparently  similar  to  that  of  Lag.  Cu- 
vieri, but  the  comparative  brevity  of  the  fur  will  probably  deprive  the  animal,  when 
seated  in  its  usual  position,  of  much  of  that  resemblance  to  a  ball  of  wool  which  may 
be  fancied  to  exist  in  Lag.  Cuvieri.  The  long  and  remarkable  whiskers  are  scarcely  so 
heavy,  so  numerous,  so  rigid,  or  so  long  as  those  of  Lag.  Cuvieri ;  and  some  of  the 
less  elongated  of  the  bristles  composing  them  are  entirely  white,  whereas  in  Lag.  Cu- 
vieri the  whole  of  the  bristles  of  the  whiskers  are  jet-black.  The  want  of  naked  muzzle 
and  the  form  and  direction  of  the  nostrils  correspond  in  both  species  :  the  position  of 
the  eyes  is  also  similar.  The  ears  have  the  parallelogrammic  form  of  those  of  Lag.  Cu- 
vieri, and  are  about  two  inches  in  length  by  three  quarters  in  breadth,  the  length  of  the 
head  anterior  to  their  base  being  two  inches  and  a  half :  the  folds  of  the  ears  and  the 
supplementary  auricle  are  the  same  in  both  species.  The  outside  of  the  ear  is  sparingly 
clothed  with  short  dark  adpressed  hairs,  which  become  more  numerous  towards  the 
margins ;  their  inner  side  is  also  sparingly  furnished  with  hairs,  which  are  longer  and 
looser  than  those  of  the  outer  surface,  and  are  nearly  white  :  the  darkly  coloured  hairs 
of  the  outer  side  project  slightly  beyond  the  upper  edge  of  the  ear,  forming  a  fringe  to 
the  extremity  of  its  lobe. 
The  general  proportion  of  the  limbs  to  the  body  and  to  each  other  is  apparently 
similar  to  that  which  obtains  in  Lag.  Cuvieri.  On  the  anterior  feet  the  toes,  similar  in 
number,  are  similarly  covered  above  with  stiff  hairs,  which  pass  down  between  them, 
and  also  conceal  the  short,  sharpish  claws  :  the  pads  of  the  sole  equally  correspond  in 
number  and  position.  The  hinder  feet  are  also  like  those  of  Lag.  Cuvieri,  in  the  num- 
ber and  relative  proportion  of  the  toes,  in  their  mode  of  covering,  in  the  form  of  the 
claws  (including  the  widening  and  flattening  of  the  inner  one,  adapted,  with  its  over- 
hanging covering  of  stiff",  horny,  comb-like  bristles,  for  the  cleaning  and  disentangling 
of  the  fur),  and  in  the  number,  form,  and  position  of  the  pads  of  the  soles. 
The  fur  of  Lag.  pallipes  is,  perhaps,  even  softer  to  the  touch  than  that  of  Lag.  Cuvieri ; 
a  feel  which  is  probably  owing  to  its  being  less  dense,  on  account  of  the  comparative 
shortness  of  the  hairs  composing  it :  the  fur  of  Lag.  Cuvieri  imparts  to  the  hand  the 
sensation  of  fullness  and  consequent  firmness,  that  of  Lag.  pallipes  is  yielding  with  its 
