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Show 370 ON A WILD CAMEL FROM EASTERN TURKESTAN. [May 17, exaggerated extent and it is insectivorous. Consequently the feet and the caecum might give some hidden clue as to its affinities. The toes of the hinder extremities have to be considered as free. There is at the utmost a very slight indication of syndactylism of the second and third toes, far less obvious than it is even in Phasco-lomys. In its free toes Notoryctes agrees with Didelphidce, Dasyurus, Thylacinus, Phascologale, Myrmecobius, Phascolomys. The hallux is complete and functional, as in Didelphidce, Phasco-loyale, Phascolomys ; this character excludes Dasyurus, Thylacinus, Myrmecobius, Antechinomys. The pronounced syndactylism and the well-developed caecum of the Phalangistinee, Phascolarctos, Perameles, Chceropus, and the Macropodidce exclude these families from comparison. The structure of the foot invites, therefore, comparison of Notoryctes with Didelphidce, Phascologale, and Phascolomys; the latter is excluded by its herbivorous life and by its Diprotodont teeth. The comparison is now restricted to the Didelphidce and to certain Dasyuridce, especially Phascologale. The geographical distribution of tbe Didelphidce would remove them from Notoryctes, but it is to be remembered that the Didelphidce seem to be the lowest and most " generalized " of existing Marsupials, and that in bygone times they had a much wider distribution. Chironectes shows that the Didelphidce are capable ot a great amplitude of adaptation, namely to arboreal and to aquatic life. However, it is unnecessary to go so far afield in the search of the nearest kin of Notoryctes. Through the possession of an element of a prehallux, Notoryctes, like the Didelphidce, stands below the Dasyuridce; in the reduction of its teeth it is further advanced than the latter. Although its numerous Edentate resemblances are clearly all acquired owing to its mode of life, they are important enough to give Notoryctes the rank of a family of the Polyprotodont Marsupials, as has been done on other grounds by Mr. Ogilby, this family being nearer allied to the Dasyuridce than to the Peramelidce. May 17, 1892. Prof. Flower, C.B., LL.D., F.R.S., President, in the Chair. Mr. W. T. Blanford exhibited for Major C. S. Cumberland the skin of a Wild Camel obtained by the latter in Eastern Turkestan, as described in ' Land and Water ' for April 4th, 1891, p. 412, and expressed his belief that this was the first wild Camel's skin that had ever been brought to this country. Major Cumberland had hoped to be present, but was unfortunately prevented by illness. He had, however, sent the following notes to be read to the meeting :- " The habitat of the Wild Camel is the Gobi steppe from Khotan to Lob Nor. Except when snow lies on the ground these animals may be met with here and there along the old bed of the Yarkand |