there is a small tuft of bristles, similar to those forming the whiskers. Legs
rather short; the soles of the fore feet, and the tarsi of the hinder ones, bare,
and of a brownish-black colour. The toes are rather short; and, as well as
the claws, fully covered with fur; the two middle ones of each foot nearly of
equal length, and slightly longer than the lateral ones. ■ Claws short, slender,
and slightly curved. Tail slender, cylindrical, and every where fully covered
with rigid hairs ; those towards the tip, much the longest. The fur of the head
and body, is rather long and recumbent, closely set, and rather harsh.
The skull posteriorly very broad ; above, between the hinder edges of the
parietal and the apices of the nasal bones, fiat. The parietal bones are divided
by a longitudinal suture, as are also the frontal ones; the latter are very
broad, so that the breadth between the eyes is unusually great, when compared
with other rodents of the same size. The orbits are rather small, and
their circumference, internally, irregular and broken. The malar bones are
well developed, somewhat triangular in shape, and each externally with an
obtuse carina along its middle; the point of the triangle joins the zygomatic
process of the temporal bone. Infraorbital foramen very large. Tympanitic
bulla; large, subglobular, and semi-transparent. Foramina incisiva double.
The incisor teeth of the upper jaw are long, and semicircular; the basal two-
thirds concealed in the intermaxillary bone; the apex of the exposed third of
each, with a sharp cutting edge anteriorly; behind which is a deep notch,
formed to receive the point of the corresponding tooth of the lower jaw. The
incisors of the lower jaw are laterally compressed, and more wedge-shaped at
the points, than those of the upper jaw. The molars of both jaws are eight
in number, four on each side, of nearly the same form in both, and without
true fangs. They are all nearly of the same size ; and the crown of each is
crossed by two transverse fossee, formed by the projecting enamel. The
margin of the crown externally entire, and arched ; internally notched and
where this notch occurs, the enamel, with which it, as well as the rest of the
tooth is edged, sends off, in the teeth of the upper jaw, a thin lamella, which
proceeds nearly across the middle of the crown of each, in its course dividing
and leaving a minute oval opening, about half-way between the notch and
outer edge of the tooth. In the teeth of the lower jaw, neither the transverse
lamella of the enamel, nor the openings, are visible. The rami of the lower
jaw, posteriorly, or those parts which, when they ascend, are distinguished
by the name of ascending rami, highly divaricated. The superior coronoid
process delicate and very small; the inferior one long, pointed, projecting
behind the line of the articular process. The configuration, &c. of certain of
the abdominal viscera, will be understood from an examination of Plate XXI.