of metapophyses. The zygapophyses are well developed. The hypapophysis of the
atlas is more or less bifurcate and well developed, but in the axis this process is very
small. In the third cervical it is large and triangular, and nearly twice as great as
in the succeeding vertebrae, beyond which it rapidly decreases, but can be traced as
far backwards as the second dorsal, where it is resolved into two rudimentary
eminences on the posterior margin of the centrum. Hypapophysial ossicles occur
between the twelfth and thirteenth dorsal and succeeding vertebrae, as far as the
last dorsal and first lumbar vertebrae. A strong hypapophysial ridge is developed
on the second and third sacral vertebrae, dividing the very much contracted pelvic
orifice into two. The caudal vertebrae, nine in number, are very simple, being
rather long, cylindrical ossicles, with rudiments of metapophyses. There are well
developed haemapophyses between the first and second and the other caudal vertebrae.
Without separating the much contracted pelvis which is so compressed on the
sacral vertebrae that they cannot be observed with precision, there appear to be
four of these vertebral elements united together with one vertebra anterior to
them free, but applied by very short transverse processes to the side of the ilium.
The spinous processes o f the sacral vertebrae form a low compressed ridge which
is posteriorly firmly soldered to the ischia, but anterior to this attachment and
internal to the acetabulae there is a very narrow, elongated, sacro-sciatic foramen.
The united spinous ridge bears two tubercular processes on its side, in a position
corresponding to the line of union of the vertebrae, and they appear to be homologous
with the hyperapophyses of the lumbar vertebrae.
The ribs are fifteen in number. The first rib is short and thick, and a small
epiphysial ossicle occurs between it and its rather compactly ossified, sternal portion,
which rapidly dilates to be attached to the whole of the side of the expanded
portion of the prestemum, and is deeply concave on its external surface. Eight ribs
are attached to the sternum, the sternal portion of the seventh being directly applied
to the side of the last third of the terminal mesostemal segment, while the broad
sternal end of the eighth is also applied to it and to the anterior extremity of the
xiphistemum. All the sternal ribs are ossified, and the lower halves of those that
do not directly join the sternum overlap each other to a remarkable degree, that of
the ninth overlying the middle of the sternal half of the eighth, that of the tenth
over the same section of the ninth, while in the four succeeding ribs the sternal
halves of their ossified cartilages cross over the corresponding halves of two ribs in
front of them, so that the distal third of a cartilage lies along the upper margin of
the cartilage of the rib in front of it, not below it. This arrangement must confer
great respiratory power on the animal. The cartilage of the fifteenth rib only is
unossified. The thoracic cavity is pyramidal, narrow above and much expanded
below, a circumstance which would also confer great respiratory power.
The prestemum is somewhat T-shaped with an obscure trace of a ridge which
is the continuation of its much compressed stalk, which has in fact the appearance
of a narrow rod, but when viewed sideways has considerable antero-posterior extension.
There is a slight concavity on either side of the ridge. The first mesostemal
segment resembles the stalk of the prestemum, but the other four prestemal
segments increase in breadth as they are traced backwards. The first three show
traces of a keel. The xiphistemum is a short cylinder, capped with cartilage.
The scapula is very narrow, almost rod-like; the post-scapula being reduced to a
very narrow fossa, and the prescapula to an extremely narrow, slightly externally
reverted ridge. The spine is deep and strong, and marked at its middle by a feebly
tuberous eminence from which the spine shelves off above to the thick and rounded,
but very narrow, supra-scapular border. The acromion and metacromial processes
resemble Crocidura. The former is applied to the outer side of the head of the
humerus immediately below the anterior surface, to which it is attached by ligament,
and forms with the thin supra-glenoid rod of the scapula a complete and
rather high arch, the external end of the clavicle being placed over it. The
coracoid is represented by the anterior projection of the glenoid surface of the
scapula. The external half of the clavicle has a slightly downward curve. Its
outer end is curved backwards to be applied to the upper surface of the acromion,
and it terminates in a small meso-scapular ossicle, its inner end having the rudiment
of a precoracoid. The humerus is about one-fifth shorter than the nlna, and
it has the form of the humerus of Crocidura. The antero-posterior, flattened and
laterally extended upper half of the bone is curved backwards, and the deltoid
ridge is very prominent and begins at the middle of the anterior margin of
the articular surface of the head, half-way between each tuberosity. The supra-'
condyloid foramen is well developed, but there' is no supra-trochlear foramen, but
the anconeal fossa is deep, and both condyles are prominent. The olecranon is
well developed and rather flattened on its outer surface. The radius and ulna are
distinct.
The carpus has a radiate, intermedium,- ulna/re, and pisiform, a united fourth
and fifth carpale, but no centrale, as in Crocidura.
The pelvis is very narrow and is considerably curved backwards, downwards,
and forwards, and is much contracted, the symphysis being separated from the
sacrum by so restricted an interspace, and being so filled up by the sacral hypapo-
physes, as in Talpa, that there is no room for the pelvic viscera to pass internally, so
that they are continued out below the pelvic symphysis as in that genus. The
ilium is rod-like and parallel to the vertebral column, its anterior half being only
slightly divergent. The acetabulum, placed about the middle of the pelvis, is
immediately opposite and close to the pelvic symphysis, which is very short, but
the bones are closely in contact with each other. Behind the symphysis, the pubes
and ischia are externally divergent, but less so than in Talpa, and they enclose a
long, rather narrow, thyroid foramen, the lower or pelvic wall of which is rod-like,
the upper or ischial wall being prolonged downwards and forwards, the pubes forming
a well marked, flattened spine which projects in that direction, the tuberosity
of the ischium being rounded off and scarcely determinable. The bodies of the
sacral vertebrae almost fill up the space that intervenes between the thyroid
foramina. The dorsal surface of the ischium of either side is amalgamated with