SPALAX A£GTPTIACUS. 
293 
The first toe is feeble, but relatively more developed than the poilex, and the claws 
on the second and third toes are stronger than those on the fingers. There is one pad at 
the base of the first toe, and external to it there is another irregularly shaped pad. 
The fur on the body generally is 10 mm. in length, and is very fine, soft, and dense, 
and practically reversible. It is shorter and more sparse on the belly, the lower 
portion of which is nude in the adult male. 
The fur on the upper surface of the broad, flat, and spatulate head is much shorter, 
and on the chin it is sparsely distributed. A ridge of strong, short, bristly hairs is 
prolonged backwards from the side of the nose above and behind the nostril, along the 
side of the head for nearly one-half of its length. On the areas above and below this 
ridge there are numerous scattered, long, anteriorly curved, tactile hairs. 
The outside of the short tubular ear is nearly nude, but on its inner surface there 
are a few strong inwardly directed hairs. The hand is nude, with the exception of a 
few outwardly directed yellowish hairs on its upper surface, with still fewer on the 
fingers; the upper surface of the foot is sparsely covered all over with whitish hairs. 
The under surfaces of both hands and feet are nude. The rudimentary tail is 
perfectly devoid of hairs and is a mere nodule. 
The basal half of the fur is black on the back generally, the terminal half being 
greyish fawn, so that the prevailing colour of the upper surface of the animal is of the 
latter tint, but in certain lights it assumes a bright silvery-grey sheen. On the under 
surface of the body the terminal fawn is reduced to a mere point, so that this surface 
is blackish, tinged with yellowish. On the head the yellowish fawn of the back 
passes into pale bluish grey a little way anterior to the ear, the position of the latter 
being usually indicated by a break in the continuity of the fur. The anterior half of 
the upper surface of the head is grey, which is also more or less the colour of the cheeks, 
while the chin and its sides are dark slate-grey. The nose above and below and the 
bare surfaces around the mouth are pale flesh-coloured, which is also the colouring of 
the hands and feet; but the skin of the belly is pinkish, and the tail is pure white. 
Measurements of specimens of Sjjalaw from Maryut. 
Measured : 
in life. 
in life. 
in life. 
aleohol. 
alco-hol. 
alcohol. 
alcohol. 
No. on specimens; 
140, J. 
141, cJ. 
142, $. 
139, c?. 
148 a, (S- 
148 &, $. 
148, 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
mm. 
mra. 
mm. 
Tip of snout to vent. 
165 
160 
130 
175-5 
156 
148 
161 
Anterior margin of tubular ear to snout .... 
Length of fore foot (under surface from proxi- 
45 
40 
36 
45 
36-2 
33 
36-2 
mal end of bare surface (wrist) to 3rd 
finger without claw). 
21 
20*5 
18-5 
19-5 
19 
18-5 
19 
Length of hind foot to base of middle claw . 
23 
22 
21 
23-5 
22-3 
21-3 
22-3 
^ Had been suckling her young. One pair of pectoral and one pair of inguinal mammse. She was kept alive 
for a week in Alexandria, April 1892. 
