MACROSCELIDES TYPICUS. 
short ; posterior extremities long and the tarsi bare beneath. Toes short and 
all nearly of the same length, the inner toe of the hinder extremities consi- 
derably removed from the others ; nails short, slender and strongly curved, 
lail cylindrical, slightly tapered, and closely covered with short rigid 
hairs. Fur long, soft and silky, very dense, and but slightly recum- 
bent. For the form of the skull, and the characters of the teeth and of 
some of the viscera, vide Plate XV. 1 a, 1 b, 1 c, Id, 1 e, If 1 g, 1 h, 
and 1 i. 
DIMENSIONS. 
Inches. 
Lines. 
Inches. 
Lines 
Length from the point of the proboscis 
Length of the hinder legs 
3 
3 
to the extremity of the tail 
9 
6 
of the tarsus 
0 
1<H 
of the head including the pro- 
of the toes 
0 
2^ 
boscis 
2 
2 
Distance between the base of the 
of the proboscis 
0 
e 
proboscis and the eye . . . 
0 
6^ 
of the tail 
4 
e 
between the eye and the 
of the ears 
0 
8 
o 
7 1 
of the fore legs 
1 
4 
Height when standing on all the feet 
2 
1 2 
8 
The colours of both sexes are nearly alike. 
Ihe shape, breadth and shortness of the ears, together with the comparatively dense coating 
of fm by which both their inner and outer surfaces are covered, enable us readily to distinguish 
this species from any of the others which have yet been discovered in Southern Africa. It is 
found inhabiting open, arid plains, particularly such as bear a thin coating of brushwood. It 
lives in burrows under ground, the passage to which is usually for some distance below the 
surface, almost perpendicular ; it vacates these during a great portion of the day, and is 
employed either in seeking its food or basking in the solar rays. To the latter it is very 
partial, and for the purpose of insuring the greatest quantum, of heat, it usually sits erect upon 
its hinder legs, and facing the direction from which the heat proceeds. When disturbed 
while occupied in either of the ways mentioned, it flies immediately to its subterranean 
retreat, and its progress is effected with such rapidity, that it is impossible to discover 
anything either of the form or the real nature of the animal as it advances. On this account 
I was familiar with the general appearance it presents on such occasions long before I had 
any idea of its real character. It feeds upon insects. 
Ihe discovery of this little animal in 1828, rendered the institution of a new groupe of 
Insectivora necessary. When its characters were indicated in 1829, M. typicus was only 
known ; at present the number of described species are seven, six of which belong to Southern 
Africa and one to Algiers. 
