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 considerably
removed from the others ; nails short, slender and strongly curved.
Tail cylindrical, slightly tapered, and closely covered with short rigid
hairs. Fur long, soft and silky, very dense, and but slightly recumbent.
For the form of the skull, and the characters of the teeth and of
some of the viscera, vide Plate XV. la , 1 h, 1 c, 1 d, J e, I f , 1 g, 1 h,
and 1 i.
DIMENSIONS.
[nches 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 10£
of the head including the pro- of'the toes............................... 0
boscis........... ....................... 2 2 Distance between the base of the
of the proboscis..................... 0 6 proboscis and the eye... 0
of the tail'. HM SIMM 11 Hi Hi 4 6 between the eye and the
of the fore legs ..................... 1 4 Height when standing on all the feet 2 8
The colours of. both sexes are nearly alike.
The shape, breadth and shortness of the ears, together with the comparatively dense coating
of fur 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 o f 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.
The discovery of this little animal in 1828, rendered the institution of a new groupe of
Insectivoree 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.