OCR Text |
Show 1885.] MR. R. COLLETT ON ECHIDNA ACANTHION. 155 E. aculeata. In these specimens the crista sagittalis is also sharp and longer, whereas only a trace of it may be observed in the younger skulls. The snout is of moderate length or rather short. Tn the full-grown specimen its proportion to the length of the skull is as 1 to 2|, as will be seen hy the list below, and in several specimens it is but a little longer than the breadth of the skull1. Measurements. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8 9. Sex. ?... 6*... cT... 2- 2- 2- ?••• Total length. millim. 425 448 420 415 443 (c) 410 (c) 405 448 Length of skull. millim. 108 105 103 104 110 103 101 111 Length of snout. . millim. .51 47 46 46 52 47 46 53 Breadth of skull. millim. 43 44 43 42 45 42 40 44 Proportion of snout to the skull. 211 2-23 2-23 2 26 2-11 (c) 2 19 (c) 249 209 In the full-grown specimens the snout is more or less distinctly turned upwards, the profile of the front being deeply concave over the orbits, and down along the nasalia, and the lower margin of the skull rises obliquely in front of the orbits. Thus the skull forms a distinct contrast to that of Proechidna bruijni from New Guinea; Fig. 3. Skull of Echidna acanthion, 2 (back view). No. 9. Pig. 4. Skull of Echidna acanthion, J (back view). No. 5. probably the other Papuan species, E. lawesi, has a similar concave snout to E. acanthion. The palate is armed with about nine rows 1 The snout is measured without the cutaneous covering, from the foramen lacrymale in the skeleton, or the foremost margin of the eye in the skin. |