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LONDON. HENRY C, BOHN.

ADEN

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THE

NATURALIST'S LIBRARY.

EDITED BT

SIR WILLIAM JARDINE/BART.,

P.B.S.B., P.L.S., ETC., ETC.

VOL. XXIV.

MAMMALIA.

MARSUPIALIA, OR POUCHED ANIMALS.
BY G. B. WATBRHOUSB, ESQ.,

CUBA.TOB TO THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LOITDOIT.

OF THE

(( UNIVERSITY

EDINBURGH :
W. H. LIZARS, 3, ST. JAMES1 SQUARE.

LONDON :
HENRY G. BOHN, YORK ST., COVENT GARDEN.

BIOLOGY

LIBRARY

G

t ONTFA'TS.

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY, M.D., ....

INTRODUCTION, 45

THE OPOSSUMS, J5

DlDELPHIDjE, ib<

Virginian Opossum, •

Azara's Opossum. Plate I

Crab-eating Opossum,

Californian Opossum,

Short-headed Opossum, ....

Quica Opossum,

Surinam Opossum, . ....

Naked-tailed Opossum. Plate II

Lord Derby's Opossum. Plate II.* ....
Woolly Opossum, .......

Thick-tailed Opossum, 100

Philander Opossum, •

Cinereous Opossum, ...•••
Meriarfs Opossum, ...••••
Murine Opossum, • • •

Elegant Opossum,

Three-striped Opossum. Plate III. ... 107

Tricolored Opossum, 109

Short-tailed Opossum, 1^*1

Didelphys PusUla,

The Yapock Opossum. Plate IV ib.

CONTENTS.

PAG*

THE DASTURES, 117

DASYURIDJB, ib.

The TJiylacinus. Plate V 123

Ursine Dasyurus, 128

Spotted-tailed Dasyurus. Plate VI 130

Geoffrey's Dasyurus, 132

Manges Dasyurus. Plate VI T. 133

Dasyurus Maugei, Black Variety . . . . 1 3.5

Brush-tailed Phascogale. Plate VIII. . . . 136

Yellow-footed Phascogale. Plate IX. ... 138

Geoffrey's Phascogale, 140

Murine Phascogale. Plate X 143

MYRMECOBIUS, 144

Banded Myrmecobius. Plate XI 14.5

Red Myrmecobius, . . . . . . . 149

FAMILY PERAMELID.E, 150

PERAMELES, ib.

Rabbit-eared Perameles. Plate XII 1.53

Long-nosed Perameles. Plate XIII. .... 155

Gunn's Perameles. Plate XV 156

Short-nosed Perameles. Plate XIV ,59

New Guinea Perameles, . . . . . . 161

Bougainville' }s Perameles, . . . . . . 162

Choeropus ecaudatus, . . . . . . 1C3

THE KANGAROOS, 165

MACROPODID^E, ib.

Genus HYPSIPRYMNUS, . . . . . 174

Rat-tailed Hypisprymnus. Plate XVI. . . . 175

Small-footed Hipsiprymnus, 180

White's Hypsiprymnus, 181

Brush-tailed Hypsiprymnus. Plate XVII. . . . 183

Ogilby's Hypsiprymnus, .... 185

Rabbit-like Hypsiprymnus, . 186

Rusty Hypsiprymnus, .188

Gray's Hypsiprymnus, ....... 190

CONTENTS.

Genus MACROPUS, ,191

Macropus proper. (Section, or Subgenus 1,) . . ib.

Great Kangaroo, 192

Woolly, or Red Kangaroo, 198

Sooty Karinarno, 200

Nail-bearing Kangaroo, . . . . . . 201

Bridled Kangaroo, ....... 202

Crescent marked Kangaroo, . . . * . 203

Hare-like Kangaroo, 204

Halmaturus. (Subgenus 2,) 205

Parry'* Kangaroo. Plate XVIJI 206

Elegant Kangaroo, 209

Bennett's Kangaroo. Plate XIX 211

White Kangaroo, 214

Red-necked Kangaroo, . . . . . . 216

Rusty -grey Kangaroo, i 217

Aroe Kangaroo. Plate XX 219

Macropus Irma, 222

Black-footed Kangaroo, 2'23

Filander Kangaroo, . . . . . . . 225

Red-bellied Kangaroo, 227

Macropus dor salts, ....... 230

Eugene Island Kangaroo, ...... 232

Lord Derby's Kangaroo. Plate XXI. . . . 234

Short-tailed Kangaroo, ...... 236

Banded Kangaroo, ....... 237

Petrogale, Heteropus. (Subgenus 3,) ... 240

Strong-limbed Kangaroo, 24 1

Brush-tailed Kangaroo. Plate XXII. ... 243

Heteropus albogularis, 246

Short-eared Rock Kangaroo, ..... 247

PHALANGISTID.E, 249

Cuscus. (Section, or Subgenus 1,) . . . 259

Ursine Phalanger. Vignette, Title Page, . . ib.

Yellow -rumf>cd Phalanger, . . . . . 261

Spotted Phalanger, 262

Hollow-fronted Phalanger, ... . . • 263

Phalangista proper. (Section 2,) .... 264

Vulpine Phalanger. Plate XXIII 265

CONTENTS.

PAGE

PJtalangista fuliginosa, ...... 267

Cuvier's Phalanger, 268

Yellow-footed Phalanger, 269

Canine Phalanger, 271

Pseudocheirus. (Section 3,) . . . . • 273

CooKs Phalanger. Plate XXV 274

Viverrine Phalanger. Plate XXIV 277

Pigmy Phalanger. Plate XXVI 279

Genus PETAURUS, 282

Petaurus proper. (Subgenus 1,) . . . . ib.

Taguan Petaurus, or Flying Opossum. Plate XXVIL 283

Peron's Petaurus, 284

Belideus. (Subgenus 2,) 286

Yellow-Bellied Petaurus , . ... ib.

Long-tailed Petaurus, 288

Squirrel-like Petaurus. Plate XXVI1L ... 289

Short-leaded Petaurus. Plate XXIX. . . . 290

Acrobata. (Subgenus 3,) 293

Pigmy Petaurus. Plate XXX. ib.

Genus PHASCOLARCTOS, 294

Koala. Plate XXXI .295

Genus PHASCOLMYS, . 298

Wombat. Plate XXXII 300

Tlit Echidna. Plate XXXIII. ... 303

The Ornithorhyncus. Plate XXXIV. . 309

Portrait of Barclay, 2

In all Thirty-Seven Plates in this Volume.

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY, M.D.

MEMOIR

JOHN BARCLAY, M.D.

IN the whole circle of biography, there is, perhaps,
no memoir so pregnant with beneficial instruction,
as that of an individual who, without any of the wild
impulses, or as they are styled, " corruscations of
genius/' or without any fortuitous incident or ad-
venture, raises himself by his own industry — by a
patient persevering cultivation of substantial natural
talents — to an eminent situation in society, and
maintains till the close of life the eminence that he
has reached. There is generally connected with
that elevation a moral worth, which gives a grandeur
and stability to the character that nought else can
possibly bestow.

Such, in an eminent degree, will be found to have
characterised the life of JOHN BARCLAY. He owed
little to fortune, — much, if not all, to the persevering
application of his powers in a profession, the object
of his choice, and the end of his ambition. He was
born on 10th December 1758. His father then ten-

18 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

anted the farm of Cairn, near Drummaquhance in
Perthshire,* whence he removed to Strageath, a farm
on the property of Lord Gwydyr, in the parish of
Muthil, in the same county. His son, the subject of
this Memoir, received the rudiments of his education
at the parish school, at that time conducted by a
Mr. Thomson, who is said to have been an excellent
classical scholar. From this seminary he went to the
University of St. Andrews; and was entered a student
at the Old College, upon one of the foundation bur-
saries, which he obtained after a spirited competition,
standing first on the list of four successful candidates.
. Without the aid of any teacher, it is said, he ac-
quired such a knowledge of the Hebrew language,
as enabled him to read and understand the whole of
the Old Testament ; which, however, he might more
easily be enabled to do, as some of the simplest methods
for attaining that object had already been adopted.
Parkhurst had published (1762) his Hebrew and
English Lexicon, to which was affixed a methodical
Hebrew grammar without points, adapted to the use
of learners, and which disencumbered the sacred
language from some of its most intricate difficulties ;
besides, Dr. Wilson, whose grammar is upon the
same principle — published in 1782 — was professor

* He was brother of John Barclay, the Berean minister in
Edinburgh, and founder of that sect, a person well known for
his eccentricities, whose sacred poems, though now neglected,
are by no means despicable compositions ; only, his para-
phrase of the song of Solomon used to be thought more amus-
ing than edifying.

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 19

of Hebrew in the University when young Barclay
entered it; and I cannot think an inquiring mind
like his, would be either unnoticed or unassisted by
so kind and benevolent a teacher as I have always
understood that excellent professor to have been.

A delightful anecdote of young Barclay, in re-
ference to this period, is preserved by Sir George
Ballingall, which I use the liberty of copying in-
his own words. " Having set out upon a visit to
his relations in Perthshire, during the Christmas
holidays, he was benighted and overtaken by a storm,
at the small village of Lindores, near Newburgh
in Fife. Here he sought shelter in the house of a
poor man of the name of Wilson, who, with his wife,
received our traveller at first with some degree of
suspicion ; but, being overcome with his frankness
and affability, soon became more kindly disposed,
and treated him with all the hospitality which
their little cottage afforded. The writer had the
pleasure, at the distance of nearly thirty years
afterwards, of accompanying the doctor in search of
his benefactors, and of witnessing the very gratifying
recognition on both sides, — the doctor giving them
substantial proofs of his recollection of their kind-
ness." *

Barclay's views had hitherto been directed to the
Church ; and accordingly, after having finished his
studies at the University, and gone through the
usual course of trial, he was licensed as a " proba-

* In his life of Dr. Barclay, prefixed to his Introductory
Lectures to a course of Anatomy, &c. Edinburgh, 1827.

20 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

tioner" by the presbytery of Dunkeld. Although his
natural taste led him eventually to prefer the study
of Medicine, he always through life maintained the
highest respect and regard both for the services
and the members of the sacred ministry ; and even
after he had fully directed his attention to the study
of Anatomy, he occasionally assisted his clerical
friends, being wont to preach for the late Dr. Hardy,
professor of Church History in the University of
Edinburgh, and Mr. Grant of Libberton ; nor did he
give up his attention to clerical matters even after he
began to lecture upon Anatomy, having been several
times a member of the General Assembly, in whose
proceedings he took great interest, although he never
exhibited among the orators of that venerable court.

Soon after he received his licence, he was engaged
by Charles Campbell, Esq. of Loch Dochart, as a
tutor in his family ; and while there, having consider-
able leisure, he gave way to the bent of his genius,
and prosecuted with avidity his researches in Natural
History. These he continued with peculiar advan-
tage, when he afterwards became an inmate in the
family of the late Sir James Campbell of Aberuchill,
to whose sons, William and Frederick, he became
tutor in Edinburgh, at the commencement of the
Winter Session 1789.

Relieved from all care about temporal support,
and giving up every idea of Church preferment, the
study of anatomy, almost entirely absorbed his inde-
fatigable mind. About this time he enjoyed an essen-
tial advantage in being admitted assistant to the cele

MEMOIR OP JOHN BARCLAY. 21

brated Mr. John Bell, and under his direction, with
that of his brother Charles, (now Sir Charles Bell),
he incessantly applied himself to his favourite pur-
suits.

It must have been about this time that, during the
severe illness of John Bell, young Barclay, in the
spirit of true and disinterested anxiety to render him-
self useful, offered his services as assistant to his
talented preceptor, to keep up the lectures till his
health was restored. His offer was refused, with
what Barclay attributed to disdain and contempt,
which, however galling, was greatly the means of
his future eminence ; for he instantly communicated
the circumstance to his patron, Sir James Campbell,
who advanced him the pecuniary assistance required
for the completion of those studies which, with his
indomitable perseverance and talents, were the means
of his outstripping not only his accomplished master,
but all competitors in the science of anatomy in
Edinburgh. We had this detail from his own lips,
and to his credit the sum required was exceedingly
small, though of his own naming to Sir James ; and
we rather think the Doctor never required farther
aid during life.

In 1796, he obtained from the University of
Edinburgh his degree of M.D. His Thesis, " De
Anima seu Principle Vitali" received the approba-
tion of the late Dr. Gregory, one of the most distin-
guished classical scholars of his day, — to whom, along
with Mr. John Bell, it was dedicated, — both for its
elegant Latinity and its ingenious development of the

22 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

subject discussed — a subject which not only at this
early period,, but through life, appears to have attract-
ed a particular share of his attention.

Having graduated, he did not consider himself as
exempted from the necessity of further instruction,
but rather, stimulated by the progress he had made,
gathered fresh energy for renovated exertion. He
therefore immediately repaired to London, and put
himself under the tuition of Dr. Marshall of Thavies
Inn, an eminent anatomical teacher in that city,
from whose instructions he always gratefully ac-
knowledged that he had reaped much advantage,
and under whose inspection he formed the rudiments
of his Museum, which afterwards proved so great an
attraction to his class.

His stay in London, however, was not very pro-
tracted, for he returned to Edinburgh in 1797; and
in November of that year commenced his career as
a Lecturer on the science he had so thoroughly
studied. His first class-room was a small apartment
in the High School-yards, which he was enabled to
fit up by the kind assistance of his excellent and
steady friend Sir James Campbell. At the outset,
his pupils were few, and he had most formidable ob-
stacles to encounter. Dr. Monro, secundus, then
filled the Anatomical Chair in the University, with
the highest reputation ; and his able assistant, Mr.
Fyfe, gave a second or evening course upon the same
subject. Mr. John Bell, likewise, his former mas-
ter, was then in the full career of professional fame,
yet the Doctor felt nothing appalled, but, conscious

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 23

of his own strength, went steadily forward, cheered
and encouraged by the regular if not rapid increase
of his class ; nor was it very long till he reaped the
reward of his assiduous perseverance. He generally
gave two courses, one in the morning and another in
the evening, every winter, commencing early in No-
vember and concluding in the latter end of April.

During the summer months, for several years be-
fore his death, he also delivered a course of lectures
on Comparative Anatomy, — a branch of science
which he delighted to cultivate, not only as an ob-
ject of curious research, but of real practical utility,
and a branch of liberal education of high importance
to men of various professional descriptions — to all be-
longing to the medical profession, whether surgeons
or physicians — to all naturalists, whose taste may
incline them to the study of Zoology — to all who are
concerned in the health and preservation of valuable
animals — to the lawyer who attends to the nature of
evidence in criminal trials — to the moralist and logi-
cian, who view the faculties of the mind in the ab-
stract, without reflecting upon the powerful re-action
of the organs by which it operates, and by which it
is often operated upon — to the physico-theologist,
who is anxious to witness the strongest proofs that
are furnished by the works of nature of the exist-
ence and power of the Deity, of his omniscience,
his omnipresence, his varied operations, and his uni-
versal superintendence — and lastly, to the inquisitive
geologist, who delights in tracing the great physical
revolutions of the globe, by studying the fossil re-

24 MEMOIR 0£ JOHN BARCLAY.

mains of animals, that at one time had been its in-
habitants, when it presented a different aspect and
had different climates from what it has now. " It
was by comparative anatomy," he was wont to ob-
serve, " that Harvey made his immortal discovery of
the circulation of the blood, and Asellius exhibited
the existence of the lacteai vessels ; and to the dis-
section of a frog we owe the discovery of the Gal-
vanic fluid/' and the publisher of this Work, when a
boy attending the High School of Edinburgh, has
often carried frogs to the Doctor, for the purpose of
the varied experiments with which he was then en-
gaged.

Comparative anatomy also points out many rela-
tions that subsist between the varieties of function
and organs — between the varieties of organs and in-
stincts, and between the instincts and external cir-
cumstances. It points out many relations between
the form and habits of species, between the different
organs of sense and the objects that invite .or threaten
them from without; between certain appearances
in the brain and the rapid or slow development
of the instincts; between the organs of defence
and attack, and the corresponding dispositions ;
and between the ratio of the volume of brain,
compared with that of the spinal marrow, and the
natural sagacity common to the species. While,
on the other hand, to prevent our ascribing too
much to the organs, and supposing that the in-
stincts, the habits, and characters of animals are, in
all cases, to be regulated by them, it furnishes us

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 25

tvith instances, numerous and diversified, where
similar functions are connected with quite different
jrgans, and similar organs with different functions,
from which he naturally deduces the fallacy of
phrenological theories. " Those who tell us," he
observes, * " that every prominent feature of our
character is indicated by some variety of the skull,
arising from modifications of the brain, seem neither
to reflect on the powerful operation of moral causes
nor on that powerful re-action of organs that so fre-
quently disturbs the functions of the brain, and,
when long continued, soon alters its structure. When
physiology is better understood, few will be deceived
by such theories and fancies;" and he adds, with
that indignant scorn with which he always treated
the slightest approach to infidelity, " It will be found
equally hostile to the too easy credulity of ignorance,
the dogmas of error, and the overweening conceit of
the sceptic, who, with an intolerable degree of bigotry,
frequently talks of established laws, as if all the various
secrets of nature were unfolded to him, and he were
the confidant of the Sovereign of the Universe."

Connected with comparative anatomy, the Doctor
devoted considerable attention to Veterinary medi-
cine, and to his exertions, we are informed, the pub-
lic is chiefly indebted for the establishment of the
Veterinary School, conducted by one of his pupils,
Professor Dick, under the especial patronage of the
Highland Society of Scotland, of which Barclay was
i distinguished member.

* Introductory Lectures, page 168.

26 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

The first thing that struck a pupil, in the Doc-
tor's lectures, was the " lucidus ordo," the clear ar-
rangement of his subject, which at once carried con-
viction to the hearer that he not only perfectly under-
stood what he had undertaken to teach, hut under-
stood also the hest method of communicating to
others what he knew himself. His illustrations
were clear and copious, and not unfrequently an ap-
posite anecdote fixed more strongly on the memories
of his hearers the particular part which he was demon-
strating ; and, at a time when it was by no means
fashionable, he never omitted to point out the wis-
dom of God as displayed in that most wonderful of
all his works — the formation and support of the
human body.

Assiduously attentive to his laborious duties as a
teacher, the Doctor, nevertheless, found time to con-
tribute liberally to his professional literature. His
first performance was the article Physiology, in the
third edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica, which
gave high promise as a scientific treatise, and which his
next publication (1803) " A new Anatomical Nomen-
clature," did not belie. He had perceived the im-
mense advantages that flowed from the new Chemi-
cal Nomenclature, which tended more than almost
any thing else to facilitate the knowledge and acce-
lerate the progress of that science, and he was anxi-
ous to supply some such improvement in anatomy,
by substituting precise significant terms in place
of the vague, capricious Babel-language then and
still too much in use. The ability with which the

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 27

task was executed is now generally acknowledged,
though the nomenclature be not yet universally
adopted. Perhaps, however, when death has re-
moved every prejudiced feeling which obstructed its
reception, it may find that place in our medical
schools which its worth and importance merits.

His own opinion of this performance is expressed
with modesty in the introduction, where he dis-
claims for it all pretensions to any equality of rank
with the labours of the French chemist. " This
nomenclature is not to be compared with that of
Lavoisier ; it establishes no era in science ; it an-
nounces no great revolution, nor is it formed with a
view to perpetuate any illustrious discoveries. To
compare a small thing with a great, it bears a much
nearer resemblance to the classification and arrange-
ments of Linnaeus."* Yet have the works of the
Swede greatly facilitated the improvement of every
branch of Natural History. Nor can there, perhaps,
be a greater service rendered to any science than to
define and fix accurately the terms employed in its
development, as this tends, in no small degree, to
facilitate the progress of study, by removing the lite-
rary rubbish of a cumbrous and obscure verbiage,
which obstructs, if it does not altogether block up,
the avenues of knowledge.

Being now established in public estimation as a
successful teacher and an able medical writer, the
Royal College of Surgeons gave him the highest

* Introduct. to a new Anatomical Nomenclature, p. 45.

28 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

testimony in their power; for in the year 180^
that learned body resolved unanimously, " That
the attendance of candidates for diplomas and certi-
ficates, on Dr. Barclay's Lectures on Anatomy and
Surgery, shall be held as equivalent to the attend-
ance on the Lectures of Members of the Colleges of
Physicians or Surgeons of London, Dublin, or Edin-
burgh, or of any other respectable college, on the same
subjects." During a few years that followed, Dr.
Barclay's life was one continued progress in scientific
acquirement ; but the silent and arduous labours of
the mind admit not of any narration, unless that mind
have recorded its own exertions either in private
memoranda or public works. Of the former, I
know not whether the Doctor left any memorial.
We can only therefore speak from the apparent re-
sults ; and the increasing estimation in which his
prelections were held both at home and abroad, and
the nourishing state of his class, bore strong testi-
mony to his own individual improvement; for no
man can go on improving others who does not im-
prove himself. In 1805, Dr. Barclay became asso-
ciated with the Royal College of Physicians as a
licentiate; and in November next year, he was admit-
ted as a resident fellow of the same body. In 1808,
he published his treatise on the ff Muscular Motions
of the Human Body." This treatise was chiefly
designed to extend a knowledge of the animal func-
tions; and through that medium, so far as the
muscular functions are concerned, to improve the
science of physic and surgery. He accordingly

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 29

described the muscles according to regions, arranging
those peculiarly belonging to the osseous structure,
according to the bones to which they are attached ;
and the whole belonging to the system, according
to the motions in which they co-operate, — thus
exhibiting the muscles likely to be supplied with
the same branches of arteries and nerves, what
parts of the osseous structure are connected by
muscles, and what muscles co-operate, and how
they co-operate in performing their functions ; and
deducing from the whole, the nature and causes of a
number of sympathies that arise from attachment,
situation, and function, with a view to provide a safe
and expeditious remedy, especially in cases of laxa-
tion and fracture, by pointing out the motions best
calculated to favour the reduction, and those fitted
to assist or oppose the operation; what are the
positions best suited to preserve the ease and
security of the parts; and what the motions, attitudes,
and muscles, most likely to disturb them ; and thus
to free the patient from that torture, so frequently
inflicted by empirics, bone-setters, and those un-
acquainted with the compound actions of the muscles.
It may not be altogether out of place here to
mention that Barclay's love of natural investigations
prompted him to be ever foremost in all the dissec-
tions of all the animals which by chance came in his
way, in and around the Scottish metropolis. At one
of these we happened to be present. It was that
of a Beluga or White Whale, an account of which
we believe is to be found in the Wernerian Nat.

30 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

Hist. Soc. Memoirs. Never shall we forget the
enthusiasm of the Doctor, wading to his knees
amongst the viscera of the great tenant of the deep,
alternately cutting away with his large and dexterous
knife, and regaling his nostrils with copious infu-
sions of snuff, while he pointed out, in his usual
felicitous manner, the various contrasts or agreements
of the forms of the viscera with those of other animals
and of man.

At length, 1811, the Doctor had the felicity of
being united to the object of his long and ardent at-
tachment, Miss Eleanora Campbell, daughter of Sir
James Campbell of Aberuchill. Their mutual esteem
and affection had been cherished by a thorough ac-
quaintance with each other during a residence of many
years under the same roof; and in the society of this
lady he enjoyed till his death, in an eminent degree,

Domestic happiness, the only bliss
Of Paradise that has survived the fall !

About this period a number of the students had
intended to present him with a piece of plate ; but
with his characteristic attention to the feelings of
his class, some of whom could, and some of whom
could not afford to subscribe, though equally willing
to honour their teacher, he disapproved of the proposal
so soon as he heard of it, and felt more gratified by
an affectionate address which was substituted in its
stead. The following is the correspondence which
took place upon that occasion — honourable at once
to the pupils and their teacher.

lliiMOIB OF JOHN BARCLAY. 31

COPY — -LETTER BY DR. BARCLAY'S STUDENTS — CLASS
1810-1811 — ON THE SUBJECT OF A PIECE OF
PLATE, PROPOSED TO HAVE BEEN PRESENTED TO HIM.

SIR,

The Pupils of your Class, impressed with a sense
of their obligations to the zeal and ability with which
you have always directed their anatomical studies,
had been anxious to testify their feelings, by some
public mark of their gratitude and respect. With
this view, it was suggested, and unanimously resolv-
ed, that a Piece of Plate should be presented to you
in their name.

The injudicious and unauthorized interference of
some anonymous individual, however, by a prema-
ture disclosure of their design, drew from you a pub-
lic and explicit disapprobation of this measure. Re-
specting, while they cannot help regretting, the mo-
tives which led you to reject their proposal, they
have reluctantly deferred to your feelings and wishes
on this subject. They cannot allow themselves, how-
ever, to separate as a body, without conveying to
you, in another, and they trust a more unexception-
able form, the feelings which induced them to make
the original proposal.

They are far from presuming to think that their
humble praise is either an adequate reward for your
past, or a sufficient incitement to your future labours.
They are convinced, that the love of science, and a
desire to benefit others, operate on a generous mind
far more powerfully than the ambition of praise,

32 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

especially of such praise as they are qualified to be-
stow.

Leaving to more competent judges, and to poste-
rity, to decide how much you have benefited the
medical world by your writings, they claim to them-
selves the honour of being able in some degree to
appreciate that various and accurate knowledge,
which brings the light of different sciences to the
elucidation of one; that extensive learning which
conducts you to the origin of names and opinions,
through all the changes of language and systems -9
and that manly philosophy, which in an age not cer-
tainly distinguished for its piety, uniformly prompts
you to impress upon the youthful mind the final
cause of the phenomena which you disclose.

Carrying with them into professional life, along
with the benefit which they cannot but derive from
your judicious and able tuition, a grateful sense of
what they owe to you, they join in ardent wishes
that you may long continue, by your name, your
writings, and public instructions, to support and
adorn the Medical School of Scotland ; and, in the
gratitude, the respectability, and usefulness of your
numerous pupils, enjoy that reward of your labours,
which is ever the most grateful to a generous mind.

Signed in name and by authority of the Class, by
WILLIAM RAE WILSON,

President.

ALEX. CAMPBELL,

Secretary.

Edinburgh, Feby. Uth, 1811.
To

DR. JOHN BARCLAI,

Ar"vle Sauare.

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. S3

COPY — DR. BARCLAY'S ANSWER TO THE FOREGOING
LETTER.

GENTLEMEN,

I have had the honour of receiving your address,
and have perused it with emotions of gratitude I can
hardlv descrihe. If your approbation, which I highly
value, does not incite me to farther exertions, it shall
never, he assured, have any tendency to make me
less zealous than I hitherto have heen in the plea-
sant discharge of every duty which I owe you.

On receiving occasionally anonymous hints that
little more of anatomy was necessary than what
might enable the student to obtain a diploma or
license, I have often looked forward and tried to
imagine the melancholy picture which medicine
would present in a few years, if these sordid and
groveling ideas were to be generally encouraged by
the teachers. I thank God that, through the me-
dium of those sentiments which you have expressed,
I can see many pupils who are far above those mean
and unworthy considerations, and who, looking on
physic and surgery not as trades but as liberal pro-
fessions, are preparing to adorn them by their manly
sense and superior acquirements.

I am also particularly gratified to learn that you
feel a pleasure in contemplating those works of un-
paralleled design aud consummate foresight that are
everywhere displayed in the admirable mechanism
of the human body. The genuine impressions of
C

£4 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

religion and morality to which these observations
may lead, must strongly recommend you to the con-
fidence of those who, requiring your aid as profes-
sional men, must often entrust you with the secrets
of families, and be forced to rely not more on your
skill than on your integrity.

When you wish me to enjoy those pleasant reflec-
tions that arise from the usefulness and respectability
of my pupils, you wish me indeed that kind of re-
ward of which I feel that my heart would be proud ;
a reward, Gentlemen, of which, if I rightly be able
to judge, I naturally may expect no small share from
you who have honoured me with this address. — I
am,

GENTLEMEN,
With esteem and gratitude,

Your very sincere friend,
(Signed) JOHN BARCLAY.

Perhaps no teacher was ever more generally be-
loved by his pupils than Dr. Barclay, to which his
uniform kindness and affability, and readiness to
promote their interest upon every occasion, materially
contributed. rc Besides, he gave," says Sir George
Ballingall, who had good opportunities of knowing,
" many young men gratuitous admission to his own
lectures, and has even been known to furnish them
with the means of feeing other teachers/'

Next year, 1812, appeared his " Description of the
Arteries of the Human Body," a work of vast labour

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 35

and close observation, which Sir George Ballingall
considers the most practically useful of all his writings.

The generality of anatomical writers since Haller,
who had treated of the arteries, having usually sub-
stituted the description of some common variety for
the description of the general character, he wished
to supply the deficiency, or rather to rectify the mis-
take; and from various preparations, and the de-
scriptions of different authors, proposed to ascertain
the general range allowed to each of the larger
arteries, as to their origin, their ramification, and
extent of distribution.

In order to render his descriptions more precise,
although he proposed to take but few liberties with
the names of the arteries, yet on purpose to accommo-
date his language to the immortal discovery of Harvey,
he used the names proposed in his own nomenclature.

As there are two principal trunks of the arteries,
I. The Pulmonary, so named from being ramified
through the pulmones or lungs, commencing at the
right ventricle, and carrying blood of a dark colour,
which, on being exposed to the action of the air
in its passage through the lungs, assumes a florid
red colour ; and II. The Aorta, which transmits the
red blood through the medium of its branches to the
system at large ; he proposed for the one to sub-
stitute the term pulmonic, and for the other systemic
artery; and consequently the blood which flowed
through each to be similarly designated : — pulmonic
and systemic blood. The appearances of the arteries
vhich he described as general facts or as common to

36 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

the species, were those which he had found, with a
few exceptions, in all the individuals he had examined,
or had learned from the writings of the most eminent
Anatomists, Eustachius, Winslow, Haller, Sahatier,
Murray, Soemmering, and others. The exceptions
from these general appearances, were such as he
had himself observed, or had been collected by his
friend Mr. Allan Burns of Glasgow.

For some time before his death his health had
begun to decline; and he was in consequence, and
by the advice of his friends, induced to enter into
partnership, 1825, with Dr. Robert Knox, at that
time Conservator of the Museum of the Royal Col-
lege of Surgeons, who succeeded him as lecturer on
Human and Comparative Anatomy. He did not,
however, relax in his scientific labours, and com-
pleted not long before his death, " An Inquiry into
the Opinions, Ancient and Modern, concerning Life
and Organization," — a publication which displays an
intimate acquaintance with the works of ancient and
modern times that bear upon his subject, and be-
trays no symptoms of failure in his natural acute-
ness.

The origin and design of this work, he tells us,
was to direct young men entering on the study of
anatomy in their speculations upon the causes of
organisation. On deliberately examining an animal
structure in connection with its functions, reflecting
on its singular and astonishing mechanism, how food

o '

and drink are converted into blood, and blood into
a diversity of organs, by chemical processes

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 37

different in kind, and differently conducted from any
that are known, what are we to think ? Can such
a mechanism he the cause of feeling, reasoning, and
reflection ? — or can chemical affinity, without a che-
mist of uncommon resources and of extraordinary art
and intelligence, produce such a structure ? Some
think that they may, and others think not. This dif-
ference of opinion was what suggested the Inquiry, —
the object of which is to collect and state the argu-
ments on both sides, to examine the legitimacy and
force of these arguments as they occur, and after the
Inquirer has given his opinion, to leave the reader
to judge for himself. The work consists of four
parts; — 1st, An account of the philosophical and
popular opinions entertained by the ancients con-
cerning the nature and the variety of animating causes,
and an account of the principal arguments which
they employed to prove that these causes originate
in matter. 2d, A definition of the terms employed in
discussions concerning life and organisation, such
as : — nature, the elements, forms and qualities,
chance, fate, necessity, and matter, &c. 3d, An
account of the opinions entertained by those modern
physiologists who are either disposed to ascribe the
whole phenomena of life, or at least organisation,
sensation, and instinct, to the powers of mechanism
and the effects of chemical affinities, — Paracelsus,
Darwin, Leibnitz, Priestley, Buffon, Cuvier, and a
number of others. And, 4>th, An account of the
opinions of some distinguished ancients and moderns
who have ascribed organisation and all the other vital

38 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

phenomena to an internal animating principle,-—
Aristotle, Harvey, Willis, Hunter, and Abernethy,
&c.

In summing up the whole arguments, the Doctor
comes to the conclusion that all physiological writers,
ancient and modern, seem to he agreed that the causes
of life and organisation are utterly invisible, whether
they pass under the name of " animating principles,
vital principles, in divisible atoms, or organic particles/'
or by whatever name they may be called : and that
the first writer who has thrown any light upon this
subject is the prophet Moses, the law-giver of the
Jews. He regularly assigns an adequate cause for
the phenomena which he describes, not only for the
orderly arrangement of the universe, but the first
formation of the various species of animals and plants.
The cause which he assigns is an omnipotent, omni-
scient, omnipresent Being, invisible, self-existent, and
eternal, and to whose will the whole material universe
is subjected, more thoroughly and completely, though
not more inconceivably, than our bodily organs are
subjected to our wills.

About this time the Doctor, for once, appeared as
a controversialist.

Many conjectures have been formed, and many
fables told, respecting that dubious animal the Sea
Snake. A huge sea monster, however, cast ashore
on the island of Stronsa, in September 1808, was be-
lieved to have at last settled the point, and authen-
ticated its existence ; it measured 55 feet in length,
and 1 0 feet in circumference ; had six fins or paws

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 39

like arms, terminating in toes, edged all around,
from the body to the extremity of the toes, with a
row of bristles, about 10 inches long, and also a
mane or range of bristles along the back, from the
shoulder to the tail, about 14 inches in length, of a
silvery colour, and luminous in the dark. So strange
a tenant of the deep, naturally attracted Dr. Barclay's
curiosity, and he procured several of the vertebrae ;
an account of which he read to the Wernerian
Society, illustrated with drawings by Mr. Sime.
Soon after, Everard Home, Esq., (afterwards Sir
Everard) published in the London Philosophical Trans-
actions, a description of two vertebrae of the Squalus
maximus of Linnaeus, which he alleged were similar to
those of the Orkney animal ; and, therefore, that the
" great unknown" of Stronsa, was nothing else than
the Squalus maximus, the Barking Shark of the
Swede. Believing, however, that Barclay had com-
mitted no mistake, even after perusing the affidavits of
the persons who had seen it, he endeavoured to throw
the blame of his own misconception on the declarations
of the witnesses. This induced Barclay to publish
his account of the animal, in a small pamphlet, to
which he appended some brief replies to Mr. Home,
concluding in the following caustically humorous
manner : — " Be these declarations true or false, there
is nothing in them which, when taken literally, in-
dicates a Squalus, or Squalus maximus. This Mr.
Home seems willing to admit ; and, therefore, is at
some pains to explain how the sight of a Squalus,
or more probably a Squalus maximus, produced

40 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

such truly wonderful effects on the senses, the
judgment, the imagination, and veracity of these
Orcadians., as to have made their solemn declar-
ations so widely different from nature and from truth.
If these odd effects, on the minds of the Orcadians,
could have proceeded from nothing else than the
sight of a Squalus, or a Squalus maximus, Mr. Home
is certainly entitled to the credit of having discovered,
if not a new species of fish, at least a new and re-
markable variety of the human species inhabiting the
Orkneys."

Not long after, another tenant of the vasty deep
was stranded near Newhaven. It was the Beluga
Delphinus Albicans ; and here Barclay was so for-
tunate as to be able to obtain its dissection.

Again, in June 1815, a Beluga was killed near
Stirling, and Mr. Bald having procured the specimen,
it was submitted to Mr. now Dr. Neill and Dr. Bar-
clay for inspection, who inserted an account of it in
the Wernerian Society Memoirs, vol iii. p. 471, the
former giving an account of its external characters,
and the latter of its structure. Its length was 13^
feet, its greatest circumference 8 feet 1 1 inches.

But his labours were now approaching to a close.
In 1824, while on a visit to an intimate friend, Mr.
Charles Oliphant, W.S., he sustained a slight paralytic
shock, and his speech became somewhat affected.
From this period he gradually declined, and at length
sunk under prolonged exhaustion on the 21st August
1826. His remains were interred at Restalrig, near
Edinburgh, the family burying-ground of his father-

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 41

in-law, Sir James Campbell. His funeral was at-
tended by many of his private friends, and by the
Royal College of Surgeons as a body, to mark their
great respect for his memory.

For several years before his death. Dr. Barclay was
desirous that his Museum should be handed over to
some public body, in order that it might become per-
manently useful to the Medical School of Edinburgh.
Having at length resolved to present it to the Royal
College of Surgeons, the following letter, which will
be read with interest, was addressed by him to the
President of that body.

DEAR SIR,

Anxious to add, and yearly adding, to the number
of my anatomical preparations, notwithstanding that
my rooms are already too crowded, I have long
thought, to prevent my collection from being scatter-
ed after I can make use of it no more, to have it de-
posited with some learned and respectable Society
or body of men, who could estimate its value, and
render it useful to themselves and others. My first
thoughts were to present it to the Royal College of
Surgeons of Edinburgh, to which I am under so strong
obligations, and for which I feel and shall ever
feel a most sincere gratitude. Recollecting, however,
that morbid preparations, and not preparations chief-
ly anatomical, were what the College principally va-
lued, it occurred to me that it might hesitate to accept
my offer, and grudge the expense of building a hall
for its reception. But these doubts having since been

42 MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY.

completely removed, upon knowing that the College
has lately thought of purchasing at a very consider-
able expense a most valuable anatomical collection
on the Continent, I feel encouraged to offer to it mine,
and to bequeath it simply on the condition, that the
College will build a Hall to receive it ; and that the
collection shall be allowed to retain my name ; not
doubting that the necessary degree of care to preserve
it from hastening too fast into decay will be attend-
ed to. I have nothing more to add, than to assure
you of my high respect for the College, of my warm
gratitude for its former kindness, and to request that
you will lay these proposals before it, and believe
ine to be,

DEAR SIR,

Yours truly,

(Signed) JOHN BARCLAY.
6, ARGYLE SQUARE,

3d July 1821.
To

JOHN WISHART, ESQ.

President of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh.

The College of Surgeons having at once resolved
to avail themselves of this noble bequest, and having
agreed, in terms of a deed of settlement subsequently
executed by Dr. Barclay, that a Hall should be pro-
vided for the suitable accommodation and adequate
display of the collection, to be named the BARCLEIAN
MUSEUM, it was in 1828 formally conveyed to that
learned body, and was shortly afterwards deposited
in the splendid building erected by them for their
Museum and Library.

MEMOIR OF JOHN BARCLAY. 43

We are indebted to Mr. Macgillivray, the Conser-
vator of the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons,
for the following succinct and interesting account of
the BARCLEIAN MUSEUM.

" Dr. Barclay's Collection is contained in a beauti-
ful and well lighted apartment forty feet square,
furnished with glazed cases and a gallery. It consists
of 251 2 preparations, arranged in three series, under
the heads of Human Anatomy and Pathology, Com-
parative Anatomy, Fossils and Miscellanea.

" In the department of Human Anatomy, there are
770 articles : viz., in spirits 60, in turpentine 10, dry
689, casts 3, engravings 8. The preparations illus-
trative of the vascular system are numerous and of
great value ; as are those of the osteological series.

"In the department of Comparative Anatomy, there
are 1457 preparations : viz., in spirits 234, in turpen-
tine 5, dry 799, shells 245, eggs 174. Among these
are many valuable skeletons of mammalia, including
those of the Asiatic Elephant, Dromedary, Walrus,
and Narwhal, together with an extensive series of
skulls, and numerous specimens of teeth. The organs
of circulation and digestion are also well illustrated.
Skeletons and preparations of various organs of Birds,
Reptiles and Fishes, together with specimens of
Mollusca, Crustacea, Insects and Corals, form a
series of considerable extent.

" The number of simple minerals, and fossil organic
remains, amounts to 242, and that of articles not be-
longing to the three departments enumerated, is 43.

"Considered as the collection of a private individual,

44 MEMOIR OP JOHN BARCLAY.

formed at his own expense, with no other aid than
that occasionally afforded hy his pupils, it is a monu-
ment of zeal and energy ; although as a public
museum it does not contain enough of specimens to
illustrate the various organs of animals in the extended
series disclosed by modern Zoology. Taken in con-
nection with the preparations made by the late and
present Conservators of the Museum of the Royal
College of Surgeons, it affords an important aid to
the student of this delightful branch of science."

In the Museum is likewise deposited a marble bust
of Dr. Barclay, executed by Joseph in 1825. It was
subscribed for by his pupils at a meeting at which Sir
George Ballingall acted as Chairman, and was subse-
quently presented by them to the College of Surgeons.
The inscription on the bust is to the following effect.

JOHN BARCLAY M.D.,

LECTURER ON ANATOMY IN THIS CITY,

WHO BEQUEATHED TO
THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS

THE VALUABLE COLLECTION CONTAINED IN THIS APARTMENT,
THIS BUST,

EXECUTED BY DESIRE OF A MEETING OF DR. BARCLAY'S PUPILS,

AT THE PERIOD OF HIS

RETIREMENT FROM HIS DUTIES AS A LECTURER,
WAS PRESENTED BY THEM

TO THF ROY-AL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

INTRODUCTION.

THIS volume is devoted to the consideration of a
group of quadrupeds or Mammalia, most of the
species of which are commonly known either by the
name of Opossum or Kangaroo. The first discovered
species of this group were found in America, and are
described by the earlier English authors, under the
former of these names ; subsequently other animals
were found in certain islands of the Indian Archi-
pelago, and in Australia, which having some charac-
ters in common with the Oppossums of America,
were placed in the same group, and described under
the original title of Didelphis* given by Linnseus to
the American Opossum. This name was suggested
by one of the most remarkable characters which these
animals exhibit, viz. : the possession, in the female,
of a pouch or fold of skin on the abdomen, in which
the young are carried.

The term marsupiata, or marsupialia, (from
marsupium, a purse or bag,) now usually applied to

* From A/ and Asxpvj, double uterus, should therefore be
Didelphys.

46 INTRODUCTION.

this group of animals, has reference to the same
character. They were likewise termed animalia
crumentaria, or purse-bearing-animals, by Scaliger.

The voyages of Cook made us acquainted with
that most interesting animal, the Kangaroo, and some
other species of Marsupial animals ; and we are in-
debted to Governor Phillip* and White, t for several
interesting additions. Tolerably good figures illus-
trate the descriptions in the works of both these
authors. The specimens collected in White's voy-
age were described by John Hunter, to whom we are
indebted for the first account of the dentition of many
of these animals.

It is remarkable that Dr. Shaw, with these
materials before him, did not avail himself of them
in his systematic work,J either to modify his de-
finition of the genus Didelphys, or to separate from
it such species as would not agree with the cha-
racters given by himself at the commencement of the
group. He appeared to be, in most instances, satis-
fied with copying out the accounts of others. The
credit is due to him, however, for the separation of
the Kangaroos from the other Marsupial forms, and
applying to them the generic title Macropus. Two
other genera were founded by him ; one upon a
species of flying Opossum, and the other on the

* The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay, 4to,
London, 1789.

+ Appendix to the Journal of a Voyage to New South
Wales, by John White, 4to., 1790.

J General Zoology, 8vo, 1800.

INTRODUCTION. 47

Ornithorhynchus, to which he applied the name
Platypus anatinus* Another extraordinary animal,
closely allied to the last, the Echidna, was also first
described by him. The Marsupiata, however, were
left in a great state of confusion by Shaw, species of
different groups being confounded, and the same
animal in some cases placed in different orders. It is
to Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire that we are indebted for a
revision of the group, and for the first clear definitions
of many of the genera. His papers on this subject
will be found in the earlier volumes of the " Annales
du Museum ; " — here he characterizes the genera
Dasyurus, Perameles, and Phascolomys ; and subse-
quently, Illiger, Cuvier, De Blainville, Temminck, and
others, have extended the number of the genera. To
the last of these authors we are indebted for some
excellent monographs on the genera Didelphys,
Dasyurus, and Phalangista.\

Nearly all the principal forms as yet discovered in
the Marsupiata were known as early as the begin-
ning of the present century ; or, I may say at the
end of the past century, types of but three genera —
Lipurus (or Phascolacrtos), Myrmecobius and Chce-
ropus — having been added since that time. The
number of species, however, has been greatly aug-
mented, and much additional information relating to
those already described by the earlier authors, has

* Blumbenbach nearly at the same time (the exact date
of his first account I am unable to procure) gave to this
animal the name Ornithorhynchus paradoxus.

•Y ** Monographies de mammalogie," by C. J. Temminck.

48 INTRODUCTION.

been published — Anatomists have aided the Zoologist
in determining the relations of the Marsupial animals
to other orders of Mammalia, and their affinities with
each other; among others may be mentioned John
Hunter, Sir E. Home, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, G.
Cuvier, Meckel, De Blainville, Morgan, Owen,
Martin and Laurent.

It has been stated that the first discovered species
of Marsupiata were those of America, and that sub-
sequently species have been found in Australia, and
in some of the islands of the Indian Archipelago :
it must be observed, however, that Australia is the
great metropolis of these animals ; in America
there exists many species, but they all belong to
one genus — Didelphys ; * of these species one is
common in the United States of North America,
four or five inhabit Mexico, and the remainder are
found in South America,t where they are known to
extend as far south, on the eastern side of the con-
tinent, as Maldonado, and one species was discovered
by Mr. Darwin on the opposite side of the Cordilleras,
at Valparaiso.

In the Indian Archipelago, the Marsupial animals*

* Cheirontictes, which is proposed as a generic name for an
Opossum which inhabits certain rivers in S. America, can only
be regarded in the light of a sub-genus or slightly aberrant
form of Didelphys.

•f Mr. Bennet describes two species, in the Proceedings
of the Zoological Society, from California, bo.th of which
are closely allied to the common Opossum of tfie United
States.

INTRODUCTION. 49

abound most in New Guinea, where it appears * that
no less than seven species t (affording examples of
the genera Phascogale, Ferameles, Hypsiprymuus
Dendrolagus, Phalangista and Petaurus,) have al-
ready been found, although as yet we do not know
even the precise boundary of the island. In the islands
Celebes, Amboina, Banda, and Timor, there are also
Marsupial animals ; they all, however, belong to one
£enus — Phalangista, and, what is interesting, they
appertain to a section of this genus, examples of which
have not yet been found on the continent of Australia.
As yet but one species has occurred in Celebes, the
Phalangista ursina, and that appears to be confined
to the island : in Amboina three species have been
found Phal. chrysorrhos, P. maculata, and P. cam-
frftns ; the two last have also been found in Banda,
a .nail island adjoining Amboina, and one of them,
the P. cavifrons, is stated to be an inhabitant like-
wise of the island Timor. The large islands, Java,
Sumatra and Borneo, afford no examples of the Mar-
supiata, at least we possess no well authenticated in-
stance of the occurrence, in a state of freedom, of any
species in those islands.

Little as we yet know of Australia, upwrards of 70
species of Marsupiata have been already discovered
in that country ; and when to these we add about

* " Over De Zoogdieren van den Indischen Archipel," by
Salomon Miiller.

f Most of the species of New Guinea are unknown to me,
excepting by the names mentioned in the table displaying the
Geographical distribution of theAnimals inhabiting the islands
of the Indian Archipelago, given in the Work above quoted.

50 INTRODUCTION.

eighteen species of Quadrupeds belonging to otner
groups, it would appear that this continent has a rich
Mammalian fauna. Besides the native Dog, (which
it is supposed may have been introduced into Australia
with man,) and certain species of Seals and Bats, the
whole of the remaining placenta! Quadrupeds found
in Australia belong to the order Rodentia, and to one
particular group of this order — the Muridce * or
Rat-tribe.

The above remarks refer only to recent species.
At former periods we have evidence that animals be-
longing to the Marsupiata had a much wider range —
in fact they inhabited Europe as well as Australia
and South America.

Cuvier has referred the remains of a small quadru-
ped, found in the Montmartre Gypsum, to the genus
Didelphys ; t and he moreover gave it as his opinion,
that the ramus of a lower jaw, found in the Stones-
field oolite, belonged to an animal allied to the
Opossum. M. De Blainville has recently expressed
his doubts as regards the accuracy of this determi-
nation ; J in consequence of which, Mr. Owen read
two papers before the Geological Society, § answer-

* Three new genera have been founded on the Australian
species of Rodents, — Hapalotis (commonly known in New
South Wales by the name " Native Rabbit") Pseudomys and
2fydromys.

•f- " Annales du Museum," torn, v., p. 277, and " Ossemeus
Fossiles," torn, iii., p. 284, PL 71.

$ " Comptes Rendus," 1838.

§ See " Proceedings of the Geological Society of London,**
vol. iii., 1 838-9.

INTRODUCTION. 51

ing the objections of that naturalist, and describing
in detail the characters, not only of the fossil ex-
amined by Cuvier, but likewise of some others since
discovered also at Stonesfield. These remains con-
sist of two portions of the lower jaw of an animal
to which Mr. Owen applied the name Thylacothe-
rium Precostii, and a ramus of a lower jaw differ-
ing from these, on which he founds his genus Phas-
colotherium, using for the species the name Buck-
landi, originally given by Mr. Broderip in his paper
on the fragment published in the third volume of
the Zoological Journal. The Stonesfield fossils
under consideration, in the opinion of Mr. Owen,
furnish the types of two new genera of Marsupial
animals intermediate between the existing Sarco-
phagous and Entomoenophagous groups. The Phas-
colotherium " presents the same numerical dental
formula, apparently, as in the Thylacinus and
Phascogale ; but, if another incisor existed in each
ramus of the lower jaw, as seems to be indicated by
the fossil, then the dentition will agree with that of
the genus Didelphys. Incisors, £;£ or 4-4 ; canines,
j'.j ; praemolares, £;£ ; molares, J;|/' The incisors
and canines are separated by vacant interspaces, and
occupy a large proportion of the dental series : the
true molares resemble those of Thylacinus. The
Thylacotherium " presents eleven molars on each
side of the lower jaw, which resemble, in structure
and close arrangement, those of Phascogale and
Didelphys, while they are intermediate in their pro-

52 INTRODUCTION.

portional size to these and Myrmecobius. The
exact condition of the incisors and canines of the
Thylacotherium has not yet heen displayed in the
fossil jaws which have heen discovered."*

Besides the Stonesfield fossils alluded to, and
those of the Paris Plaster, Mr. Charleswortht re-
fers a certain fragment found in the London clay,
near Woodbridge, in Suffolk, to the Marsupiata.
This fragment consists of a portion of the right
ramus of a lower jaw containing one false molar
tooth. Mr. Charlesworth observes, " that the tooth
in its symmetrical form, united with the indication
of an anterior and posterior heel or talon, does not
agree with any species of Didelph with which I
have as yet been able to compare it ; but I think
no doubt can be entertained of the generic or family
affinities indicated by the character which it ex-
hibits." Mr. Owen, in a paper J on the same frag-
ment, regards the reference of this fragment to the
genus Didelphys as premature, though it bears so
close a resemblance to the corresponding part of the
Opossum, as, in his opinion, to warrant the expecta-
tion, that subsequent discoveries may prove the dif-
ferences which exist to be merely specific.

* See Professor Owen's " Outlines of a Classification of
the Marsupialia," Proceedings of the Geological Society for
January 1839, pp. 8 and 9.

f Magazine of Natural History for September 1839, p.
450.

$ Annals of Natural History for November 1839, p. 192.

INTRODUCTION. 53

The fossil Marsupial remains of South America,
it would appear, as well as those of Australia, ex-
hibit the same types of form as those which at
present inhabit those regions. Dr. Lund, in his
" Survey or Sketch of the extinct species of Mam-
malia, which inhabited the highlands of tropical
Brazil previously to the last Geological revolution,"*
observes, relating to the Marsupiata, " of this family
there is only a single existing genus in this district ;
it is, however, tolerably abundant in species. These
admit of two subdivisions according to their size ;
one comprising the larger species, which, both in
habits and magnitude, may be compared to our
martens and polecats ; the other, the smaller, that
scarcely exceed in size our mice and rats. I am
acquainted with two species in the first division,
Didelphys aurita,^ Pr. Max., and D. albiventer,
Lund. ; and three in the latter, D. murina, Linn.,
D. brachyura. Pall., and D. pusilla, Desm. I find
fossil remains of species belonging to both these
divisions, which, for the present, I shall refer to two
species." These remains were discovered by Dr.
Lund, in certain caves " which occur in the calcare-
ous rocks that traverse in various directions the in-
terior highlands of Brazil."

The following fossil remains were discovered by

* This communication was addressed to, and is now pub-
lished by, the Society of Sciences at Copenhagen. I quote
from the Rev. W. Bilton's translation of this paper, published
in "the Magazine of Natural History," see vol. iv., p. 313.

•f Did. Azarcs of most authors.

54 INTRODUCTION.

Major Mitchell in the caves of Wellington valley
and Buree, (Southern Australia,) and are described
in his work* by Mr. Owen : —

1. Dasyurus laniarius, Owen. — An extinct species about one-
third larger than D. ursinus, which it closely resembles.
The canines are proportionately larger.

2. Phalangista. — Species undetermined, but apparently
allied to P. vulpina.

3. Hypsiprymnus. — Species also undetermined.

4. Macropus Atlas, Owen. — A species of Kangaroo at least
one-third larger than Macropus major.

5. Macropus Titan, Owen As large as the preceding, but

differing chiefly in the smaller size of the permanent
spurious molar, which, in this respect, more nearly cor-
responds with the existing Macropus major.

6. Macropus Undetermined species.

7. Halmaturus. — Undetermined species.

8. Phalcolomys Mitch ellii, Owen — This species is ap-
parently a little larger than the recent species.

9. Diprotodon, Owen — A new genus founded on the an-
terior extremity of the right ramus of the lower jaw,
with a single large procumbent incisor, which resembles
the corresponding tooth in the Wombat, both in its
position and enamelled structure and portion ; it differs,
however, in the quadrilateral figure of its transverse
section, in which it corresponds to the inferior incisors
of the hippopotamus.

It appears from the examination of these fossils
from Australia, that they are not referable to any
known extra-Australian genera) nor are they re-
ferable, from the present evidence, to any existing

* M Three Expeditions into the interior of Eastern Aus-
tralia," &c., by Major T. L. Mitchell, Surveyor General.

INTRODUCTION. 55

species of Australian Mammalia, — the greater number
certainly belonging to species either extinct or as yet
not discovered.

Classification of the Marsupiata. — The Marsu-
piata, known to Linnaeus, are placed by him between
the Carnivora and Insectivora, — that is to say, the
genus Didelphys in the 12th edition of the Systema
Naturae, is placed between the Linnaean genera
Ursus and Talpa. Cuvier, in his Regne Animal,
published in 1817, observes, as regards this class,
•' that the Marsupials, which we arrange at the end
of the Carnassieres as a fourth family of that great
order, might almost be separated as a distinct order,
so many peculiarities do they exhibit in their eco-
nomy/' * * * * " One might, in fact, say
that the Marsupiata formed a distinct class, parallel
to that of ordinary quadrupeds, and, like them, might
be divided into orders." In the last edition of the
Regne Animal, which made its appearance in 1829,
we find this group separated as a distinct order, and
placed between the Carnivora and Rodentia*

De Blainville, in his work entitled " De I' Organi-
sation des Animaux" divides the class Mammalia

* M. M. Desmarest, Lesson, and Fischer, follow the classi-
fication of Cuvier's first edition. M. Temminck also adopts
the classification of Cuvier, — but he has the credit of having
separated, as distinct orders, the Cheiroptera and Marsupiata.
The last mentioned order was therefore separated in 1827,
two years before the publication of Cuvier's last edition.

56 INTRODUCTION.

into two sub-classes, — the first, " Monodelphes," con-
tains all the ordinary placental quadrupeds, and the
second, " Didelpket" is composed of the Marsupiata.
The " Didelphes" are thus sub-divided: —

{Normal. . . f Diddphidce.
[ptobvi*** {g^™
f Echidna. / Burrowing.

Abnormal. . \ OrnWiorhynchus. \ Swimming.

This classification was published in 1822; but
gome years afterwards, (in the Cours de la Faculte
des Sciences, 1834,) he separated the Echidna and
Ornithorhynchusfromthe Marsupiata, or" Didelphes"
and formed with them a third sub-class, to which he
gave the name Ornithodelphes.

Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire regarded the Marsupial
animals as constituting a distinct group, which, like
Cuvier, he placed between the Carnivora and Roden-
tia ; indeed, this situation for the animals in question
was originally suggested by Geoffrey.*

The most recent classification of the present group
is that of Professor Owen, communicated to the
Zoological Society in January 1839, and published,
in abstract, in that Society's proceedings, (Part vii.,
p. 5.)

The following is a tabular view of this Anatomist's
distribution of the various groups of which the
Marsupiata is composed.

* See his observations on the Wombat, in the Annales des
Museum, vol. ii., p. 364, published in 1803.

INTRODUCTION. 5?

Tribes. Families. Genera. Subgenera.

SARCOPHAGA.
Three kinds of teeth ;

canines long in both / Thvlacinus.

jaws ; a simple sto- Dasyuridce. J Dasyurus.
mach ; no intestinum { Phascoeale.

ftfcum.

Extinct transitional , _, . A, , ^

forms i Phasoolothenum. \ vns,a\\

™B ........... \Thylacotherium. ^°^lL

ENTOMOPHAGA.
Three kinds of teeth in
both jaws ; a simple

stomach ; a moder- Ambulatoria. Myrmecobius.
atelylong intestinum

— • • • {SSffi.

Scansoria. . Didelphis. . Cheironectes.
CARPOPHAOA. rCuscus

fPha.angis,a. }*%***

mach; a very long ^Petaurus. . . Acrobata.

intestinum caecum.

Phascolarctidce. Phascolarctus.

POEPHAGA.

Anterior incisors large
and long in both
jaws ; canines pre-

sent in the upper sr^-^/v^-j-j^, / Hypsiprymnus. / Halmaturut.
jawonly,orwanting. V**"*****. \Macropus. \Macropus.
A complex stomach;
a long intestinum
ccecum.

RHIZOPHAGA.

Two scalpriform incis-

ors in both jaws ; no

canines. Stomach f Pha«^»nlnmir« ^

with a special gland; Phatcolomyida. { DiprotodSK } F°8sil-
casctim short, wide,
with a vermiform
appendage.

Thus four, celebrated Anatomists and Zoologists,
Cuvier, Geoffroy Saint-Hilaire, De Blainville, and
Owen, agree in regarding the Marsupiata as a dis-
tinct group of Mammalia; there are, however, several
Zoologists who regard the section Marsupiata as an
unnatural one, and arrange the species of that group
in the various other orders of quadrupeds. Among

58 INTRODUCTION.

others, may be mentioned Storr, Illiger, F. Cuvier
Bennett,* Swainson, and Ogillby.

The reasons which Mr. Swainson adduces in fa-
vour of his views, I will give in his own words. "It
may he expedient," says Mr. Swainson,t "to advert to
those considerations, which have induced us to sepa-
rate the Carnivorous Marsupials, from those which
are herbivorous, and thereby to break up the order
Marsupiata of the Regne animal. Nearly all our
leading naturalists have acknowledged the artificial
nature of this assemblage, uniting as it does animals
of the most opposite natures, and of the most dissi-
milar organization, merely from the circumstance of
their possessing a marsupial pouch. Upon what
reasons M. Cuvier, by instituting this order, was in-
duced to violate the very first principles of his own
arrangement — which every one sees is mainly found-
ed upon the structure of the teeth — we know not :
but this single circumstance is sufficient to excite the
strongest suspicion that his arrangement is not natu-
ral. This, at least, was the conclusion at which we
arrived after the most careful investigation we could
give the subject, and after endeavouring in vain to
discover a circular series among the Marsupial Ani-

* Many very important discoveries have been made in the
internal organization of the Marsupiata, since the views of the
three first mentioned authors were published. I think it pro-
bable, therefore, that had they been acquainted with these
additional facts, they would have arrived at different conclu-
sions.

f Classification of Quadrupeds, in the Cabinet Cyclopedia,
p. 166. London, 1835.

INTRODUCTION. 59

mals." Mr. Bennett's * opinion is next quoted, that
author having strongly expressed his belief that the
Marsupalia do not form a natural group. " When
we see/' observes Mr. Bennett, " that the single pe-
culiarity that unites them, is bestowed upon types of
form so widely different from each other, we cannot
consider this simple metastasis of junction in a certain
set of organs alone, however great the importance of
that function in the animal economy, as furnishing
sufficient ground for the overthrow of every principle
of classification, and for setting at nought some of the
most strongly marked affinities that the animal king-
dom affords/'

In the classification of Illiger, the greater portion
of the Marsupiata are thrown together, and constitute
the sixth family of his order Pollicaia; but the Kan-
garoos and Hypsprymni are separated from the rest,
and form a family by themselves, to which he applies
the name Salientia.

By Storr, those Marsupial animals, which have a
distinct opposable thumb— the true Opossums and
Phalangers — are placed near the Quadrumana, and
form the third division of a great group, the first of
the divisions consisting of the genus Homo, and the
second being composed of the Monkeys and Lemurs.

Mr. Ogilby,t also considering the presence of an

* The Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological Society
Delineated, vol. i., p. 265. London, 1831.

+ Observations on the Opposable Power of the Thumb
in certain Mammalia, considered as a Zoolcgical Character,
&c. &c. Magazine of Natural History, vol. i., p. 449, and
p. 517.

60

INTRODUCTION.

opposable thumb of primary importance, places the
Opossums and Phalangers in the same group with
the Quadrumana and Bimana, giving to the group
the name of Cheiropoda, and dividing it as follows : —

/ BlMANA. 1

on the anterior extre- >Homo.

mities only, J

r Simla.

CHEIEOPODA.

QUADRUMANA.

and with anthropoid
teeth.

on both anterior and~

Mammals

posterior extremities.

Lemuridae.
and with abnormal

with opposable

teeth.

thumbs.

ISivniadce.

and with anthropoid

teeth.

Gliridce.

and with rodent teeth.

\ mines oniy

x

Didelphidte.

and with abnormal

teeth.

The arrangement adopted in this work, and that
which I originally published, in 1838, in the Cata-
logue of the Mammalia preserved in the Museum of
the Zoological Society, is as follows : —

Families. Genera.

DIDELPHIDJE. . Didelphvs.

{Thylacinus.
Dasyurus.
Phascogale.
MYRMECOBIID^E. Myrmecobius.

Sub-genera
Cheironectes.

QHer
MARSUP1ATA. \

PERAMBLIDAS, /Perameles.
X Chaeropus.

MACROPODIDJE. /Macropus.
X Hypsiprymnus.

f Phalangista.

/ Cuscus.
X Pseudocheirua,

PHALANOISTID^.jpetaurus

f Belidea.

X Acrobata.

t Phascolarctus,
PHASCOLOMYID^:. Phascolomys.

( Kchidna.

VMoNOTREMATA. ^ Ornithorhyn-
(. chua.

INTRODUCTION. 01

In analyzing the Marsupiata, with a view to deter-
mine with which group to commence the order, I
was anxious to select a genus, the species of which
would exhibit the most perfect dentition, and at the
same time present other characters which are com-
mon in the species of that order. These characters
I found combined, in the most perfect manner, in
the true Opossums (Didelphys) — they possess the
greatest number of teeth, (if we except the extra-
ordinary abnormal dentition of Myrmecobius,} a well
developed thumb to the posterior extremities, their
limbs are fitted either for climbing or walking, and
their tail is muscular, and capable of being used as
an organ of prehension.* In addition to these nor-
mal characters, I learn, from Professor Owen's paper,
that nearly the whole of the Marsupiata are provided
with an intestinum ccecum, and in this respect the
true Opossums may still be regarded as affording a
good typical representation of the order. I may,
moreover, observe that, as a general rule, animals of
omnivorous or fugivorous diet are higher, in their
own order y in the grade of organization, than either
the carnivorous, insectivorous, or herbivorous species.
Again, it is well known that the Opossums t are
sometimes destitute of the abdominal pouch, J and I

* The enormously strong, muscular tail of the Kangaroos,
can only be regarded as presenting a slight modification of the
prehensible character of tail so common in the Marsupiata.

•r I always use this term in its restricted sense — that is, for
the genus Didelphys.

£ Are the young of those Opossums, in which the pouch is
rudimentary, more perfectly developed at their birth, than the
young of other Marsupials?

62 INTRODUCTION.

cannot help regarding the absence of this organ (in
conjunction with the other points alluded to) as indi-
cative of an approach, in these animals, to the higher
orders.

I have mentioned these, my principal reasons, for
placing the genus Didelphys at the head of the Mar-
supiata, because I regard the situation of this South
American group, as one of the most important dis-
agreements between my classification and that of
Professor Owen.

Having determined to place the genus Didelphys
at the head of the order, my next object was to
arrange the remaining groups near to, or remote from
this typical genus, as they might approach or recede
from that group.

In the Dasyuriy I found the dentition* and the
form of the skull almost identical with that of the
Opossums, and in the smaller species the similarity
in the external characters of these groups renders
it difficult to distinguish them. It might be said
that the Opossums have a prehensile tail, whereas
in the Dasyuri the tail is not prehensile; but I
may remark that in some of the small Opossums
(Didelphys brachyura, &c.) the prehensile charac-
ter of the tail is almost lost : for these reasons I
have placed the Dasyuri next the Opossums. The
genus Myrmecobius in most of its characters is
intermediate between Perameles and Phascogale ;
whilst Perameles appears to unite the characters of

* The only important difference between the dentition of
the Dasyuridae and the Didelphida, consists in the number of
the incisors.

INTRODUCTION. 63

carnivorous and herbivorous species. Its dentition
in many respects presents an intermediate structure,
but perhaps approaches a little more nearly to the
carnivorous type ; its limbs, however, most nearly
resemble those of the Kangaroos, and these latter
animals are still more perfectly united to the Pera-
meles, by means of the Kangaroo-rats, or Hypsi-
prymni, which are provided with small canines.
These considerations induce me to place the Macro-
podidce after the Peramelidce^ but in so doing, I
cannot blind myself to the fact, that some of the
Phalangistidce, especially the Phalangista nana, also
evince a very close approach to the small Dasyuri
in the general structure of their teeth. I am not
surprised, therefore, that many naturalists place them
before the Macropodidce. In short, the Phalangers
and Kangaroos are, in my opinion, so closely allied, that
I think they might with propriety be regarded as the
arboreal and terrestrial divisions of the same larger
section, and, moreover, both these groups appear to
be, as above stated, closely allied to the Dasyuridce ;
hence I arrive at the conclusion, that the mutual
affinities of the species of the present group of animals
cannot be expressed by arranging them in linear series,
and a similar conclusion has been the result of my
endeavours to classify other groups.

In the foregoing account of the various classifica-
tions of the Marsupial animals proposed by different
authors, it is evident that Mr. Swainson is in error,
in stating that " nearly all our leading naturalists
have acknowledged the artificial nature of the as-

64 INTRODUCTION.

semblage ;" but I think we might, on the other hand,
say, with safety, that all the most eminent anatomists
(these being at the same time zoologists) agree in
uniting them — at least all who have written on the
subject, and who have had the necessary materials
for forming a just opinion. I could wish, however,
that this important question should not rest upon
authority ; but to go through the train of reasoning,
by which the anatomists have arrived at their con-
clusions, would require more space than can be
spared in a volume like the present one, and, more-
over, would not be suited to a popular work.

It has often been stated that the Marsupiata
consist of animals of most dissimilar organization,
and are united together only by a single peculiarity .
whatever little weight some zoologists may attach to
this single peculiarity, its value was almost immedi-
ately appreciated by the anatomists and physiolo-
gists. But I will now proceed to show that the
animals under consideration are united by many
peculiarities — these serving to distinguish them from
all other quadrupeds, whilst the rich collections now
in the British Museum, and in that of the Zoological
Society, show that the most dissimilar forms of
Marsupial animals are closely linked together by
species exhibiting the intermediate grades of structure.

The most striking peculiarity in the Marsupial
animals consists in the premature birth of their young,
and consequently the imperfect state of development
which they present at this period — compared with
otiier Mammalia. The young of the great Kangaroo,

INTRODUCTION. 65

(Macropus major,} which Professor Owen examined
twelve hours after birth, " resembled an earthworm in
the colour and semi-transparency of its integument,
adhered firmly to the point of the nipple, breathed
strongly but slowly, and moved its fore legs when
disturbed. Its body was bent upon the abdomen,
its short tail tucked in between the hind legs, whicli
were one third shorter than the fore legs, but with
the three divisions of the toes now distinct. The
whole length, from the nose to the end of the tail,
when stretched out, did not exceed 1 inch 2
lines.*

Four days after the birth of the young Kangaroo,
Professor Owen, being anxious to decide the nature of
the connection between it and the nipple, and to
ascertain whether so small a foetus would manifest
the powers of a voluntary agent in regaining the
nipples, detached it, and, after two days, upon again
examining the pouch, he found it empty — every por-
tion of the litter was carefully searched, in the hopes
of finding the foetus, but without success — the mother,
therefore, owing to the disturbance of the young one,
had probably destroyed it, A similar experiment
was tried by Mr. Morgan,t on a foetus about the size
of a Norway Rat, which after two hours' separation
from the nipple, regained its hold, and sustained no
injury from the interruption of the supply of nou-
rishment.

* Philosophical Transactions, Part ii. for 1834.
•f Transactions of the Linnaean Society, vol. xvi.

60 INTRODUCTION.

In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Zoo-
logical Society, and read before the Scientific Meet-
ing on the 14th July 1840, Sir Robert Heron states
that a young Kangaroo had by some accident got out
of the pouch of its mother before the proper time,
and some hours having elapsed before he could find
his keeper, the little animal, which was quite naked,
was scarcely alive when he arrived — the keeper how-
ever took it home, gave it milk, and by careful treat-
ment, it quite recovered; it was then restored to the
pouch, where it had remained five days, at the time
that a second letter from Sir R. Heron announced
the fact to the Society, and appeared perfectly
well.

Mr. Collie* describes the young of a species of
Kangaroo (probably that described in this work under
the name of Derbianus,) which he saw at Buache, or
Garden Island, Western Australia, as being f c nearly
the size of the last and half the middle joint of one's
little finger ; its integuments of a flesh colour, and
so transparent as to permit the higher coloured ves-
sels and viscera to shine through them." This little
foetus Mr. Collie detached from the nipple, and shortly
afterwards he placed the extremity of the teat close to
its mouth, and having held it there for a short time
without perceiving any decided effort on the part of
the young animal to regain its hold, he allowed the
pouch to close. " An hour afterwards the young

* " On some particulars connected with the Natural His-
tory of the Kangaroos." Zoological Journal, vol. \. p. 239.

INTRODUCTION. 67

was observed still unattached, but in two hours it
had hold of the teat, and was actively employed
sucking.*

An animal so little advanced as the young Mar-
supial at the time of its birth, requiring a constant
supply of food, and so ill fitted to bear the exposure
which the more advanced young of other animals are
subject to, must, it would appear, perish, unless some
peculiar provision for their safety were substituted,
and in the Marsupium or pouch, we find such a pro-
vision. This pouch, when the animal is very young,
has its orifice closed, and as it were glued to the
body of the parent, by a peculiar secretion. When
the young animal is more advanced, this secretion
disappears, and the young frequently leave the pouch
to return at will ; they do not entirely quit the pouch
until they have attained a large size — that is, com-
pared with the parent.

Closely connected with the pouch, and with the
generation of the animals of the present group, are
the Marsupial bones, which so peculiarly characterize
it. These bones are even more constant than the
pouch, being found in the Echidna and Ornithorhyn-
chus, in which no traces of a pouch have been dis-
covered. They are elongated and flattened, widely
separated at their distal extremity, and converge as
they approach the pubis, to which they are joined.

The Marsupial bones, which are found in both

* The mode by which the young Kangaroo reaches the
pouch immediately after birth is not yet known.

68 INTRODUCTION.

sexes of the Marsupial animals, are relatively longest,
straightest, and most slender in the Perameles ;
flattest, broadest, and most curved in the Koala, —
sometimes, as in the Womhat, they are articulated
to the puhis, by two points. They are always so
long, that the cremaster muscle winds round them.*
In the various memoirs on the anatomy of the
Marsupialia, published by Professor Owen, who has
particularly devoted his attention to the study of these
animals, he has constantly found it necessary, in his
comparisons, to refer to the oviparous classes of
vertebrata. — " Both sexes in the Marsupial genera/'
says this author, " manifest their affinity to the
oviparous classes, in possessing two superior vence
cavce, and in the want of the inferior mesenteric
artery : and the Marsupial bones, so common in the
skeletons of reptiles, are limited in the mammiferous
class to this division, in which alone, from the
peculiarly brief period of uterine gestation, and the
eonsequent non-enlargement of the abdomen, their
presence might be expected. But these bones serve
important purposes, in relation to the generative
economy of the Marsupiata. In the female they
assist in producing a compression of the mammary
gland, necessary for the alimentation of a peculiarly
feeble offspring, and they defend the abdominal viscera
from the pressure of the young, as these increase in
size, during their mammary or marsupial existence,

* See Professor Owen's paper « On the Osteology of the
Marsupialia.^ — Proceedings of the Zoological Society for

INTRODUCTION. €9

and still more when they afterwards return to the
pouch for temporary shelter/'* The author next
proceeds to point out the uses of these bones in the
males, which, I may observe, have peculiarities cor-
responding to the pouch in the female.t

It is in the Mammalia that the brain is perfected ;
" we can trace through the different orders the
increasing complication of this organ, until we find it
in man to have attained that condition which so
eminently distinguishes him from the rest of the
class. And if the introduction of new powers into
an organism, necessarily requires a modification in
its mode of development, with what other than the
perfection of the nervous system can we connect true
viviparous or placental generation ? for we do not
perceive that in their digestion, circulation, respira-
tion, locomotion, or temperature, the mammiferous
vertebrata are in any degree advanced beyond the
bird, in consequence of their more complex, or, as it
may be termed, more careful generation. "J

Agreeably to this view, connected with the ovovi-
viparous generation of the Marsupiata, and with an
inferiority of intelligence, which Professor Owen ob-
served in these animals when in confinement, he was
induced to undertake a careful examination of the

* Philosophical Transactions for 1 834, p. 333.

•f- Ad characteres supra dictos addantur in maribus situs
testium ante penem, et in feminis vagina in duas canales septo
divisa.

+ Owen in Phil. Trans. 1834, p. 359.

70 INTRODUCTION.

brain, in the various Marsupial animals, and the result
of this investigation was a most interesting discovery.
Besides the decreased size of the hemispheres of the
brain, and consequent exposure of the cerebellum,
indicative of a low grade of organization, the corpus
callosum and septum lucidum were found to be
entirely wanting in these animals, or at least, exist-
ing only in a rudimentary state. Now the corpus
caUosum, which is the principal bond of union
between the opposite hemispheres of the brain, had
been regarded as the great characteristic of the brain
in the Mammalia, and in fact this commissural
apparatus presents the essential difference which
exists between that, and the oviparous vertebrate
classes.

" The agreement of the Marsupial animals/' says
Professor Owen, " in so important a modification of
the cerebral organ as the absence of a corpus cal-
losum and septum lucidum, affords additional and
strong grounds for regarding them as a distinct and
peculiar group of Mammalia; and when to this
modification of cerebral structure are added the
traces of the oviparous type of structure, presented
in the circulating and absorbent systems, together
with the peculiarities of the osseous and generative
apparatus, we may with reason suspect that distri-
bution of the Marsupiata to be artificial, and founded
on an imperfect knowledge of their mutual affinities,
which, from a modification of the teeth and extremi-
ties alone, would separate and disperse the species

INTRODUCTION. 71

amongst corresponding groups of the Placental Mam<*
malia*

It must not, however, be inferred, from the ob-
servations just made, that the species of Marsupiata
resemble, in their dentition, those of the other orders
of Mammalia with which they have been associated.

The Opossums have been arranged with the Insec-
tivora, and they have moreover been classed, as be-
fore stated,, in conjunction with the Phalangers, with
the Quadrumana ; the Thylacrnus and Dasyures,
have been arranged with the Carnivora, and the
Wombat with the Rodentia. But in all these cases
where Marsupial animals have been associated with
species of other orders, there exist essential differ-
ences in the dentition.

The normal number of incisors in the Placental
series is six above and six below — throughout this
great section there are none in which I can find more
than this number — any decrease in the number is
comparatively unimportant, inasmuch as very nearly
allied species often differ in the number, and even in
the adult animal, there are not unfrequently less
incisors than in the young of the same species. Now,
in the Marsupiata, the highest number of incisors is
eighteen — ten above and eight below, t — hence when
compared with the Quadrumana, the Opossums pre-

* Professor Owen " On the Structure of the Brain in Mar-
supial Animals," Philosophical Transactions, Part I. for 1837.

+ In nearly all the Marsupial animals there are more in-
cisors in the upper jaw than the lower, whereas in other
orders of Quadrupeds, when a difference exist, the increase is
generally in the lower jaw.

72 INTRODUCTION.

sent an increase of ten in the total number of inci-
sors ; the true Quadrumana never having more than
four in each jaw. The Thylacinus and Dasyures
differ from the corresponding Carnivorous Mammals,
in the Placental series also, in having an increase in
the number of incisors.

All the Marsupial animals appear to have four
true molars (if we except the two edentate species,
Echidna and Ornithorhynchus,} whereas, in the Pla-
cental series the normal number appears to be three.
If we compare the Thylacinus with the Dogs, we not
only find a remarkable difference in the form of the
true molars, these most nearly resembling the car-
nassiers of the ordinary carnivora, but we find an
increase of 8 in the number.*

In addition to the points of distinction between
the species of the order Marsupiata, and those of
other orders of Mammalia, already pointed out, the
skall furnishes some very important characters.

One of the most remarkable features in the skull
of the Marsupial animal, consists in the permanent
separation of the greater portion of the bones — they
do not anchylose in the adult and old individuals, as
do most of the bones of the skull in the Placental
series :t the temporal bone generally presents a per-

* The advocates for placing the Thylacinus near the Dogs,
the Opossums in the Insectivora or Quadrumana, &c. should
not have omitted to notice the important diiference, observable
in the teeth and other points of dissimilarity between the ani-
mals in question.

-|- In this, and many other characters, the Rodentia appear
to approach most nearly to the Marsupiata.

INTRODUCTION. 73

manent separation of the squamous, petrous, and
tympanic elements. " I have observed," says Pro-
fessor Owen, "this reptile like condition of the bone in
the mature skulls of an Ursine Dasyure, a Virginian
Opossum, a Perameles, in different species of Potoroo,
(or Kangaroo-rats,) and Kangaroo, in the Wombat,
and in the Koala/'* The palatine portion of the
skull is nearly always very imperfect, presenting
large openings, and here again we find much differ-
ence between the Carnivorous Marsupials and the true
Carnivora, these latter wanting the large posterior
openings to the palate which characterize the former.
Lastly, I would call attention to a remarkable pecu-
liarity in the lower jaw of the Marsupiata : in all
the species of this group of animals, (with the excep-
tion of the Echidna and Ornithorkynchus) " the angle
of the lower jaw, is as if it were bent inwards, in the
form of a process encroaching in various shapes and
various degrees of development, in the different Mar-
supial genera, upon the interspace of the rami of the
lower jaw. In looking down upon the lower margin
of the jaw, we see therefore, in place of the margin
of a vertical plate of bone, a more or less flattened
surface, extending between the external ridge and
the internal process, or inflected angle." t*

The reader who is anxious to enter deeply into
the study of this interesting group of Quadrupeds is

* On the Osteology of the Marsupialia. Proceedings of the
Zoological Society, for October 1838.

•f Professor Owen. Osteology of the Marsupialia, before
quoted.

74 INTRODUCTION.

referred to the works of the authors quoted, and
especially to those of Professor Owen, of whose writings
it is seen I have freely availed myself, he having
especially devoted his attention to study of the Mar-
supiata.

In conclusion, I may remark that the descriptions
contained in this work are nearly all of them care-
fully drawn up hy myself, from the original specimens
contained either in the Museum at Paris, the British
Museum, or that of the Zoological Society.

In pursuance of the plan of the Naturalist's Lib-
rary, English names are given to the various species,
hut I have not generally adopted the names contained
in Pennant, Shaw, and others, nor yet those hy
which certain species are known in the Colonies,
though those names are noticed in the observations
on the species, to enable the reader, especially in the
Colonies, to identify them. Such names as Native
Hyaena and Tyger, Spotted Marten, Native Cat,
Native Devil, Bandicoot, &c. only tend to keep up
erroneous notions. The Native Hyaena has no affin-
ities with the real Hyaena, nor are there any real
Native Martens and Cats in Australia, the term
Bandicoot (used for some of the species of Perameles,)
is applied in India to several different animals, but
none of them are allied to the animals called Ban-
dicoots in Australia.

THE OPOSSUMS.

DIDELPHID.E.

THE term Opossum has been applied indiscriminately
to the species of Marsupial animals ; but, by the
same rule that we use the words dog, cat, weasel,
&c., to distinguish the different genera of carnivor-
ous Mammalia, so ought we to express differences of
the same kind, by using restricted English names for
the different genera of the Marsupiata, which are
quite as easily distinguished as those just mentioned.
The term Opossum, therefore, is here restricted to
that group which was first known by the name, con-
stituting the genus Didelpkys, the species of which
(unless in a fossil state) are only found in the New
World; that is, in the more southern portions of
North America, and in the whole of South America.
The figures given in the body of this work, will
convey a more accurate idea of the general form and
appearance of these animals, than words can do, —
some of the smaller species might, by the common
observer, be mistaken for rats and mice, were it not
for the elongated and pointed muzzle ; others again,
greatly resemble shrews — the largest known species
are scarcely equal to the common cat in size.

76 THE OPOSSUMS.

The Opossums may be at once distinguished from
other Mammalia, by the great number of their incisors,
of which there are ten in the upper jaw, and eight in
the lower 3 making together eighteen, which is two
more than is found in any other Marsupial animal,
and six more than are found in any placental quad-
ruped : they are arranged, in each jaw, so as to form
nearly a semicircle; in the upper jaw, the two foremost
incisors are larger than the rest, and generally separa-
ted from them by a small interspace — their form is
nearly cylindrical, but at the apex they are slightly
dilated. The canine teeth are well developed, two
above and two below ; those in the upper jaw are
the larger ; behind the canines are seven molars on
each side of either jaw ; the three foremost of these,
in the upper jaw, are of a pointed and compressed
form, and possess each two roots, and thus present
the normal form of what are termed false molars ;
the next three molars on either side have each
three roots, two of which are external, and the third
is internal : the crown of each tooth presents a tri-
angular figure, and is tuberculous, the last molar has
also three roots, but its antero-posterior extent is
less. In the lower jaw there are also three false
molars on each side, and four true molars ; these
latter are strongly bristled with tubercles, have two
roots, and are of an oblong form. The roots of all
the teeth are remarkably long. The number of the
teeth may be thus expressed : —

Incisors, \°; canines, |:j ; false molars, |:f ; true
molars, £:£=50.

DIDELFHIDJE.

77

nyEBs

SH/FORN

r AN OPOSSI'M.

78 THE OPOSSUMS.

The fore-feet in the Opossums are furnished with
five well developed toes, which are armed with
tolerahly strong, compressed, and curved claws ; the
outer and inner toes are shorter than the others. The
hind feet are furnished with four toes, having the
same kind of claws as those of the fore feet, and a
large inner clawless toe, (formed like a thumb,)
which is opposed to the other toes. The tail is
usually long, always more or less prehensile, spar-
ingly covered with hair, and exhibiting scales, like
the tail of a rat. The ears are usually of moderate
size, and generally naked ; the tip of the muzzle and
under surface of the feet are likewise naked. The
fur of these animals is generally more or less woolly
or frizzled. The stomach is simple and small ; and
the caecum is of moderate size. The clavicles are
well developed.

The young of the Opossums, in the earlier stage
of their existence, are carried in the pouch of the
mother, which they sometimes quit, but return to
in times of danger; but in some species the pouch
is wanting, or exists merely in a rudimentary state,
being represented by small folds of skin. The young
of these, when very small, remain attached to the
nipple of the parent, but when of larger size they
quit this, and are carried on her back, where they
hold themselves, by entwining their prehensile tails
around that of the parent.

These animals are nocturnal, and remain hidden
during the day time in the hollows of trees, on their
branches, or in thickets. In the night they wander

DIDELPHYS VIRGINIANA. 79

forth in search of food, attacking birds, and sucking
their blood like the weasels, or their eggs; they
moreover feed upon reptiles and insects, and do not
even refuse fruits, — their diet in fact is omnivorous :*
specimens which have lived in the menagerie of the
Zoological Society, have been fed upon bread and
milk.

One of the Opossums lives in the water, and
would appear to be otter-like in its habits. Its feet
are large and palmated, from which circumstance it
has been separated by Illiger from Didelpkys, and
constitutes his genus Chironectesj— this animal can
scarcely, however, . be regarded as constituting a
genus, but ought rather to be viewed in the light of
a sub-division or sub-genus of Didelpkys. It is
described in this work under the name of the Yapock.

VIRGINIAN OPOSSUM.

Didelphys Virginiana.
Didelphis Virginiana, Temminck.

Description.- — Length of head and body taken
together, 22 inches ;t of tail, 15 inches; fur long
and woolly, with very long hairs interspersed with the
ordinary fur on the upper parts of the body ; general
colour dirty white, with a slight yellow hue ; legs
dusky brown ; eyes surrounded with the same tint ;

* The smaller species in all probability feed chiefly upon
insects.

•f Measuring over the curve of the back.

80 THE OPOSSUMS.

hairs on upper parts of body deep brown, or blackish
at the tip ; longer interspersed hairs, white, or
tipped with brown ; tail covered at the base with
fur like that of the body, the remaining portion
with scales of a whitish colour; ears large, naked,
black, margined with white at the tip. The hairs
of the moustaches are thick and very long, some
of them are white and others black : five or six
hairs of the same character spring from the cheek,
and there are two or three which have their origin
just above the eye. The length of the ears is 1
inch 5 lines ; that of the head, measuring from the
tip of the muzzle to the base of the ears, is 4 inches
5 lines, the length of the fore foot is 1 inch 9 lines
— the claws not included — and the tarsus is 2 inches
and 2 lines.

Observations. — The Virginian Opossum is one of
the largest species of the genus, its form is robust,
the head is very large, its ordinary fur is long and
woolly, and on the back and sides of the body very
long and coarse hairs are thickly interspersed with
those which constitute the chief clothing of the ani-
mal. These characters serve to distinguish the pre-
sent species from the greater portion of the South
American Opossums, which are of a slender, weasel-
like form, and have the fur comparatively short.
There are, however, several species which have the
same stout form, and fur of a similar character, with
that of the Virginian Opossum, and which, therefore,
may be placed in the same section ; I allude to the
D. cancrivora, and D- Azarce^ both of which inhabit

DIDELPHYS VIROINIANA. 8i

South America, — these species haveheen long known,
but although there are specimens in most museums,
their distinctive characters were never clearly pointed
out, until M. Temminck's monograph* made its ap-
pearance. The D. Californicus, and D. breviceps,
described by Mr. Bennett in the Proceedings of the
Zoological Society, also belong to this section.

The D. Virginiana inhabits North America, aiul,
according to M. Temminck, is found from Mexico
to the southern provinces of the United States.
Pennant says it "inhabits Virginia, Louisiana, Mexico,
Brazil, and Peru ; I strongly suspect, however, its
range is much more restricted." Pennant has un-
doubtedly confounded the D. cancrivora, and, per-
haps, also the D. Azaroe> with our present animal,
when he states that it is found in Brazil. In the
collections received from California, by the Zoological
Society, there were no specimens of the Virginian
Opossum, but there were the two new species de-
scribed by Mr. Bennett, — may not one, or perhaps
both, of these also occur in Mexico, and have been
confounded with the D. Firginiana ?

Following is Pennant's account of the habits of
the Virginian Opossum, with some slight additions
and alterations. This animal is very destructive to
poultry, and sucks the blood without eating the flesh :
feeds also on roots and wild fruits ; is very active
in climbing trees; will hang suspended from the
branches by its tail, and by swinging its body,

* u Monographies de Mammalogie,'* vol. i.
F

82 THE OPOSSUMS.

fling itself among the boughs of the neighbouring
trees ; continues frequently hanging with its head
downwards; hunts eagerly after birds and their nests;
walks very slowly ; when pursued and overtaken,,
will feign itself dead; not easily killed, being as
tenacious of life as a cat : when the female is about
to bring forth, she makes a thick nest of dry grass,
in some close bush at the foot of a tree ; the number
of young varies from twelve to sixteen. At their
birth the young are scarcely more than a grain in
weight, blind, naked, and shapeless, nevertheless
they find the teats in the pouch, to which they
fasten themselves so closely, that they cannot be
separated without difficulty : when they have attained
the size of a mouse, and all their parts are developed ,
which takes place in about five days, they then leave
the pouch, but return to suckle, or to seek shelter in
time of danger. During this time the female shows
an excessive attachment to her young, and will suffer
any torture rather than permit the pouch to be
opened ; for she has the power of opening or closing
it, by the means of certain muscles. The flesh of the
old animals is very good, its flavour resembling that
of a sucking pig ; the hair is dyed by the Indian
women, and woven into garters and girdles: the
skin is very foetid.

f-

*

"

OIDELPHYS AZAR«. 83

OPOSSUM.
Didelphys Azarce.
PLATE I.

Didelphys Azarae, Temminck Mongr. Microur^ premier,

Essais sur P histoire Naturelle des Quadrupeds de la Pro-
vince de Paraguay. French Transl., vol i., p. 244.

Description. — Length of head and body taken
together, 1 9 inches ; of tail, 1 9 inches ; of head,
from tip of muzzle to base of ear, 4 inches 3 lines ;
of fore foot, 1 inch 1 i lines ; of tarsus, 2 inches 6
lines. Head and neck white ; a black stripe on the
forehead commences between the eyes, and runs back-
wards on to the occiput, where it is dilated and forms
a large patch ; on either side of the head is another
black stripe, which commences considerably in front
of the eye, and, encircling the eye, extends back-
wards nearly to the ear ; throat and chest yellowish,
sometimes rusty brown : the hairs of the ordinary
fur of the body are of a yellowish-white colour at
the base, and black externally ; on the back the
black colour prevails, and the sides of the body h^ve
a mottled appearance, the black and pale coiour
being about equal in proportion ; the limbs and feet
are black; the long interspersed hairs, which are
abundant on the back and sides of the body, are
white ; about one third of the tail is covered with
fur like that of the body, beyond this the tail is fur-
nished with scales, which are partially hidden by

84 THE OPOSSUMS.

shortish hairs, springing from their interstices ; both
the scales and the hairs are black, excepting on the
apical portion, where they are white, the space oc-
cupied by white scales is about 5 or 6 inches in
length ; the ears are 1 inch and 9 lines in length,
black at the base, and white beyond ; the hairs of
the moustaches are very long, those nearest the
mouth are whitish, the others are black ; on the
cheeks, and above the eyes, there are long bristly
hairs, as in the Virginian Opossum.

Observations. — This species may at once be dis-
tinguished from the Z). Virginiana, by the broad
black stripe on the forehead,* the comparatively
great extent of the black mark which runs through
the eye, and the colouring of the ears, which, instead
of being black, and narrowly edged with white at
the apex as in the Virginian Opossum, are white,
and clouded with black at the base. The general
colouring of the present animal is moreover much
darker, and the under parts of the body are, for the
most part, of a brown colour. M. Temminck also
mentions the superior length of the tail as a distin-
guishing character, but this appears to vary consider-
ably in different individuals ; and I suspect there is
a difference in this respect in the sexes.

A specimen of D. Azarce, brought from Mal-
donado, by Mr, Darwin, furnishes the following
proportions : — •

* The Virginian Opossum has occasionally a small dusky
— oa the forehead.

D1DELPHYS CANCRIVORA. 85

Length of head and body, 1 7 inches ; length of
tail, 13£ inches, of which about 4 inches (at the
base) is covered with fur, like that of the body;
this is followed by a portion, 3 inches hi length,
which is covered by black scales, and furnished with
black hairs, the remaining, or apical portion, has
white scales and white hairs.

The Didelphys Azaroe is common in Brazil, and is
found as far south as Maldonado, La Plata. Azara
states that it lives in thickets, and also in open
parts of the country ; during the day it remains in
holes ; at night it comes forth, and is very destruc-
tive to poultry, eating the eggs and sucking the
blood of the birds which it catches : it climbs trees,
eats fruit, and Azara believes that it also feeds upon
insects and reptiles.

CRAB-EATING OPOSSUM.

Didelphys cancrivora.
. Didelphys cancrivora, Temminck.

Description. — Length of head and body, 1 6 inches;
of tail, 1 5 inches ; of head, from the tip of the
muzzle to the ear, 3 inches 8 lines ; of the fore- foot,
1 inch 8 lines ; of the tarsus, 2 inches 2 lines ;
of the ear, 1 inch 6 lines. Ordinary fur harsh and
somewhat woolly, of a dirty white colour next the
skin, and dark brown, or black, externally; the
longer interspersed hairs are whitish at the base,
and sooty black beyond; limbs and feet black;
general colour of the head brown, the hairs are

SB THE OPOSSUMS.

whitish at the base and brown at the apex, in the
region of the eye the hairs assume a somewhat deeper
hue, and there is an indistinct dusky longitudinal line
on the forehead; the tail is protected by scales, be-
tween which there are short hairs, the basal half is
black, and the apical portion white; a space at the base,
of about three inches in length, is covered with fur,
like that of the body, the hairs, however, are almost
entirely of a black colour ; the ears are black ;* the
head is long.

This species is nearly equal in size to the D.
Virginiana, and may be distinguished from that
species and the D. Azarce, by its deeper colouring,
the long interspersed hairs on the upper parts of
the body being black, or dark brown, instead of
white ; its head is apparently longer and more atenua-
ted, and the ears are of an uniform colour.

The Crab-eating Opossum is common in Guiana
and Brazil, — it climbs trees with facility, but runs
badly — prefers marshy situations, where it feeds upon
crabs — whence its name ; it also attacks* small birds
and reptiles, and will eat insects. Its flesh is eaten
by the natives, and is said somewhat to resemble
that of the hare.

* In the specimen now before me, the ears are black. Mr.
Bennett (see the Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological
Society Delineated, vol. i., p. 271) says they are generally of
a yellowish white throughout,— Temminck states that the ears
are of an uniform colour, but does not mention what that
colour is.

DIDELPHYS CALIFORNICA. 8?

CALTFORNIAN OPOSSUM.

Didelphys Californica.

Didelphys Californica, Bennett. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society of London for March 1833, p. 40.

Description. — Length of head and body 17 inches;
from tip of muzzle to base of ear, 3 inches 1 1 lines ;
tail, 1 4 inches ; fore foot, 1 inch 8 lines ; tarsus, 2
inches I line ; ear, 1 inch 5 lines. Prevailing colour
of the fur brown, the ordinary fur, which is somewhat
woolly, being of a dirty white colour next the skin
and blackish-brown externally ; long white hairs are
thickly interspersed, with the ordinary fur on the
upper parts and sides of the body, and on the back
part of the head : the limbs and feet are of a brown,
ish black colour : the head is brown ; a deep brown
mark commences considerably in front of the eye,
and extends backwards to the ear, the space below
this mark extending backwards from near the tip of
the muzzle on to the cheeks, is white: the chin, lower
portion of the cheeks, and the whole of the under parts
of the body are brown ; the hairs on those parts, how-
ever, are for the most part whitish at the base ; the
ears are black : a very small portion of the tail is
covered with fur like that of the body, beyond this
the tail is, as usual, covered with scales and short
interspersed hairs, towards the base they are of a
black colour, but nearly the whole of the scaly por-
tion of the tail appears to have been white ; the head
is very long ; the hairs of the moustaches are most of

88 THE OPOSSUMS.

them of a black colour, but some are white ; the long
bristly hairs which spring from the cheeks are white.
This species was obtained by the Zoological Society
from that part of California which adjoins Mexico.
Like the D. cancrivora it has a brown head, the
long hairs which are interspersed with the ordi-
nary fur, however, are totally white. I do not per-
ceive any dark mark on the forehead.

SHORT-HEADED OPOSSUM.

Didelphys bremceps.

Didelphys breviceps, Bennett. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society of London for March 1833, p. 40.

Description. — Length of head and body 14 inches;
tail, 1 2 inches ; from tip of nose to ear, 3 inches 2
lines ; ear, 1 inch 1 line ; fore-foot, 1 inch 6 lines ;
tarsus, 2 inches. Ordinary fur soft and wroolly, white
at the base, but black externally, the general tint of
the animal, w mid therefore be black, but the inter-
spersed coarser white hairs which are immensely long
(some of those on the hinder part of the back measur-
ing 3j inches) are so abundant on the upper part of
the head and body, and also on the flanks, that they
produce a hoary tint ; the upper surface of the head
is brown, of a deeper hue on the mesial line and on
the crown ; a broad white mark extends, on either
side, from the tip of the muzzle on to the cheeks,
and above this is a brownish black mark which runs
through the eye : the lower part of the cheeks, chin

D1DELPHYS BEEVICEPS. 89

and throat are of a dark brown tint ; the chest and
under parts of the body are of a pale brown colour,
the hairs on these parts are white at the base : the
legs and feet are black : the ears are black, somewhat
mottled with whitish at the apex : a very small por-
tion of the tail is covered with fur like that of the
body, the remaining portion is furnished with scales ;
it appears to have been blackish at the base and
whitish beyond.

This species is from the same locality as the last,
that is, California; it is easily distinguished from
either of the foregoing by the shortness of its head,
and the great length and abundance of the inter-
spersed coarse hairs on the back, &c. ; the ears are
also smaller in proportion.

As the above completes the descriptions of the five
species of Opossum, belonging to the first section,
or that group of which the Common Virginian Opos-
sum may be regarded as the type, and in which the
form of the body is robust, and the fur long and
woolly, and having interspersed longer and somewhat
bristly hairs, — I will briefly recapitulate their chief
distinguishing characters.

Didelphys Virginiana may be distinguished by its
paler colouring, white head, which exhibits no mark
on the forehead, and by the comparatively small space
occupied by the dark coloured hairs which surround
the eyes, the ears are black margined with white at
the apex, — sometimes there is a faint dusky mark on
the forehead.

Diddphys Azarce is remarkable for its white head,

90 fHfi OPOSSUMS.

with three distinct hlack longitudinal stripes, one on
each side running through the eye, and one in the
middle, which commences between the eyes and
becomes suddenly broader towards the crown of the
head, the ears are white clouded with black at the
base.

Didelphys cancrivora may be distinguished by
the black, or dark brown colour of the long bristly
hairs which are interspersed with the ordinary fur,
the ears appear to be of an uniform black colour, the
brown head will also serve to distinguish it from the
two preceding species.

Didelphys California, like D. cancrivora, has a
brown head but the long interspersed hairs on the
upper parts of the body are totally white, its he^ad is
long, and the muzzle is very narrow.

Didelphys breviceps, may be distinguished by the
shortness of the head,* and the smaller size of the
ears, — there is a very conspicuous dark brown patch
on the lower part of the cheek.

QUICA OPOSSUM.

Didelphys Quica.
Didelphys Quica, Temminck.

Description. — Fur rather short and harsh to the
touch ; general colour deep ashy grey, somewhat

* The skull is in the specimen from which the description
is taken, and appears to be perfect. The specimen of D. Cali-
fornia* now before me also possesses the skull.

DIDELPHYS QUICA. 91

blackish on the back ; the edge of upper lip, lower
part of cheeks, the chin, throat, and the whole of
the under parts of the body, as well as the inner side
of the limbs, white, faintly tinted with yellow ; the
muzzle and vertex of head blackish ; on the forehead
are two large whitish spots, situated above, and
rather behind the line of the eyes; the eyes are
ancircled with black ; beneath the eye is a distinct
whitish, or yellowish spot ; the feet are dusky ; the
ears are whitish, with the apical portion clouded
with black ; a considerable portion of the tail at the
base, is furnished with fur of the same colour and
character as that of the body, beyond this the tail is
covered with scales and short interspersed hairs,
which on the basal half are black, and on the apical
white ; the hairs on the mesial line of the throat,
chest, and belly, are of an uniform colour throughout,
on the other parts of the body they are of an ash
colour at the base ; those on the back and sides of
the body are greyish white near the apex, and greyish
black at the apex, on the middle of the back they
are black at the apex, and there is a greater propor-
tion of the darker tint on each hair. The hairs of
the moustaches are very long and of a black colour.

Length from nose to root of tail 14 inches'; of tail
13^ inches, of which the portion covered by fur is
about 2f inches ; length from nose to ear, 2 inches
8 lines ; ear, 1 inch ; tarsus, (claws included) 1 inch
6£ lines.

Observations. — The above description is taken
from a male specimen ; M. Temminck says the
females are of a blackish fawn colour, with a slight

92 THE OPOSSUMS.

silvery hue ; on the flanks and limbs a bright ash
colour prevails; a rusty hue predominates on the
belly, and in the region of the pouch the hairs are
of a deep rust colour ;* the summit of the head and
the muzzle is black or blackish, and there are three
large white, or whitish, spots on each side of the
head, one above, one beneath, and one behind each
eye.

The fur of the young is more washed with fawn
colour, or with brown, than in the adults.

The Quica Opossum is often confounded both
with the Didelphys opossum and the D. myosurus or
nudicaudata, these three species being closely allied,
of nearly equal size, and having the conspicuous white
spots above the eyes ; the principal distinguishing
characters of each are pointed out at the end of the
description of D. nudicaudata.

The present species is common in Brazil, and is
also found in Guiana and Surinam. It lives on trees,
says M. Temminck, and preys upon small birds, and
also feeds upon insects and fruits. In captivity it
has been fed with flesh. During the day time the
Quica, like the other species, hides itself and sleeps,
having its body rolled into a ball.

SURINAM OPOSSUM.

Didelphys opossum.
Didelphys opossum, Gmelin, Temminck.

Description. — Length from nose to root of tail, 1 0
* A very common circumstance in these pouched animala.

DIDELPHYS OPOSSUM. 93

inches 3 lines, (sometimes rather more;) of tail, 9
inches 2 lines. From nose to eye, 1 inch 1 line ;
of hairy portion of tail 2 inches 2 lines. Size, larger
than the European squirrel ; tail rather shorter than
the head and body taken together, or about equal in
length ; the hairy portion considerably extended, the
naked portion covered with scales ; fur fine and silky,
and not abundant ; muzzle much pointed ; upper sur-
face of the head straight. The fur on all the upper
parts of the body, and of the hairy portion of the tail, of
a rusty red, or cinnamon colour, brighter in the males
than in the females : this colour predominates also on
the head and beneath the eyes, but it blends into
whitish near the angle of the mouth; the rusty
tint is less pure on the under part of the limbs:
above the eye there is a great white spot,* and
behind the ear there is a similar spot ; the lower
part of the cheeks, the inner side of the limbs, and all
the under parts of the body, are of a yellowish white
colour ; the eye is encircled by rust coloured hairs ;
the vertex of the head is always of a deeper hue than
the prevailing colour ; the naked portion of the tail
is brown, excepting set the apex, where it is white.

The females are always larger than the males —
they are provided with a pouch.

This species is found throughout Guiana, and
appears to be common in Surinam ; and Temminck

* These two white spots above the eyes, have given rise to
the name " Quatre-ail" which has been applied, by the French
naturalists, to this species. The D. Quica and D. nudicau-
data possess the same character.

94 THE OPOSSUMS.

says he has reason to suspect it is comparatively rare
in Brazil. He has found the remains of birds in the
intestines of specimens dissected.

NAKED-TAILED OPOSSUM.

Didelphys nudicaudata.
PLATE II.

Didelphys nudicaudata, Geoff. Collect, du Mus.
D. myosuros, Temminck.

Description. — Tail as long as the head and body
taken together, covered with scales, and furnished
with very minute interspersed hairs, from the base to
the apex ; woolly fur, like that of the body, is not
extended on to the base, as in most other Opossums,
or at most there is scarcely half an inch so covered.
General tint of the upper parts of the body yellowish
brown, slightly grizzled with whitish in parts ; sides
of the neck and body, and outer side of the limbs,
cinnamon coloured ; the chin, throat, and the whole
of the under parts of the body, are of a yellowish
white — nearly cream colour ; . the upper surface of
the head and muzzle are of a brownish black tint,
above, and rather behind each eye, is a conspicuous
yellowish white or yellow spot, and behind each
ear is a pale rusty yellow spot; the cheeks are
yellowish white, the line of separation between this
pale colour, runs from the tip of the muzzle, on either
side, backwards a little below the eye ; beneath the
ear a rusty yellow tint is observable ; the hairs of the

DIDELPHVS NUDICAUDATA. 95

moustaches are not very long, and are of a black
colour ; the ears are large, yellowish at the base,
and brownish, inclining to black, above; the hairs
covering the feet are brownish ; the fur covering the
back part of hinder legs is also brownish ; the scales
and hairs of the tail are brown, excepting on the
apical portion, where they are white; the portion
covered with white scales is about 5 inches in length,
in the specimen from which this description is taken,
but it is sometimes less. The female is provided with
a pouch.

Length from nose to root of tail, 13 inches; tail,
1 2^ inches ; ear, 1 inch ; tarsus, 1 inch 1 0^ lines ;
from tip of nose to base of ear, 2 inches 4 lines.

Observations. — The specimen from Bahia, from
which the above description is taken, agrees perfectly
in its characters with an animal named Didelphys
nudicaudata, in the Paris museum, and is no doubt
the species so named by Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire ; but
an error having crept into that author's description, as
regards the possession of a pouch, M. Temminck, in
his Monograph, has given a new name to the species.
He, however, states that he himself had fallen into
the same error, that is, in supposing the pouch absent
in a certain species. Under these circumstances, I
have retained the old name, which is well applied,
the tail having scarcely any fur on the base, and thus
differing from that of some allied species.

M. Temminck states that this species is very
common in Brazil, and is also found in Guiana, but is
rarely received from Surinam.

96 THE OPOSSUMS.

The three preceding species all possess a conspi-
cuous spot above the eyes, are of a slender form, and
have very long tails ; they are of larger size than
most of those which are about to be described,-—
their chief distinguishing characters may be summed
up as follows : —

D. Quica may be distinguished from the two fol-
lowing species by its larger size, and comparatively
sombre colouring ; its tail is longer than in D. opos-
sum. In the specimen before me there is no pale
spot behind the ears ; and as M. Temminck has not
described a spot in this situation, I presume it is
always wanting ; if so, this character will also serve
to distinguish the present animal, either from D.
opossum or D. nudicaudata.

D. opossum. — Distinguished from D. Quica by
its smaller size and shorter tail : its prevailing tint is
a bright rust colour, whereas that of D. Quica is
deep ashy grey.

D. nudicaudata may at once be distinguished from
either of the foregoing, by there being a very small
portion of the tail covered with fur, like that of the
body. In Z). opossum, a portion of the tail, of about
2 inches in length, is covered with fur ; in D. Quica
the fur is extended still further on to the tail, whilst
in the present species there is not more than half
an inch, at most, which is covered with fur. The fur
of the body is of a less woolly nature than in D.
Quica, the tail is more slender, and the tarsi are
longer. The basal half of the tail, moreover, is
brown, whereas in D. Quica it is black.

DIDELPHYS DERBIANUS. 07

DERBY'S OPOSSUM.

Didelphys Derbianus.

PLATE II.*
Didelphys Derbianus, Waterh.

Description. — Body stout, tail considerably longer
than the head and body taken together ; the hairy
portion of great extent ; fur woolly and glossy ; ge-
neral colour bright rusty-brown ; under parts dirty
white ; upper surface of head brownish grey, with a
longitudinal narrow dusky stripe extending back-
wards in the mesial line from the top of the muzzle,
and terminating between the ears; on either side,
and near this central line, the fur is of a grey colour ;
the region of the eye brown ; on the back is a silvery
grey stripe, which commences between the shoulders
and terminates about the middle of the back ; the
fore part of the hinder legs is also silvery grey, and
a stripe of the same tint runs backwards from the
knee : the fore legs are white : the feet are pale,
and appear to have been flesh coloured, the fore-feet
are furnished with white hairs, the hinder-feet are
sooty black : The woolly fur on the base of the tail
is brownish, pale on the under side ; the naked
portion of the tail is pale, clouded with dark brown
towards the hairy portion, and with large dark spots
beyond : the ears (in the stuffed animal) are of a
dirty white colour.

Length from nose to root of tail, 13 inches G lines ;

.08 THE OPOSSUMS.

tail (about) 17 inches,* of which 7^ inches is covered
with fur ; ears, 1 inch 2 lines : from nose to ear, 2
inches 6 lines ; tarsus, 1 inch 9 lines.

Hahitat ?

This heautiful species is in the Museum of the
Earl of Derby, after whom I have taken the liberty
of naming it. It is more stout in its proportions than
D. opossum and its allies, and is remarkable for its
bright and rich rust-like colouring, the grey stripe
on the back, and the great extent of the hairy portion
of the tail. It is equal in size to the D. quica and
consequently larger than D. opossum.

WOOLLY OPOSSUM.

Didelphys lanlgera.

Didelphys lanigera, Desm. Mamm. p. 258. spe. 395.
Microure second, ou Microure' laineux, Azara, Essais sur

Thist. Nat. des Quadr. de la Province du Paraguay, torn. 1,

p. 275.

Description. — Tail longer than the head and body
taken together, very thick and triangular at the base,
ear large ; fur soft and woolly ; occiput, anterior por
tion of fore-legs, outer side of hinder-legs and tarsi
of the colour of Spanish tobacco ; back of the same
colour, but of a deeper hue, remaining portion of
body bright brown; white predominates on the under

* It is twisted round a branch in the stuffed specimen, and
cannot be measured with great accuracy.

DIDELPHYS LANIGERA. 99

parts of the body ;* on the head is a narrow black
line, around the eye a deep cinnamon colour prevails ;
the space between the eye and the longitudinal mark
is of a bright brown colour ; ears naked, (excepting at
the base externally) and of a livid violet colour ;
naked portion of tail white.

Length from nose to root of tail, 8 inches 8 lines;
tail, 13 inches 6 lines, of which 4-| inches, measuring
from the tip, is destitute of hair, the naked portion
on the under side is more extended, measuring 9
inches ; the circumference of the tail at its root is
1 isch 7 lines ; length of head, 2 inches 3 lines ; the
height of the ear is 1 inch, and the width 6 lines.

A second specimen of this species was procured
by a friend of Azara's ; the description which that
friend furnished is as follows. The base of the fur
is pale grey (azuret) externally, it is whitish on the
under parts, especially between the legs ; the rest of
the fur is of a chestnut colour, brighter on the head,
around the tyes and on the sides of the neck and
outer sides of the limbs ; on the forehead a longi-
tudinal blackish mark is observable. Habitat Caa-

* This part of the original description is not very clear —

after describing the upper parts of the body, the sides, and

, the limbs, Azara states, " et le reste du corps et brun-clair, et

; le blanc domine beaucoup dans les parties infe'rieures et entre

les quatre jambes."

•f- Azure is a pure colour, and as no pure or unmixed colours
are ever found in the fur of quadrupeds, I presume the author
must mean grey or pale grey.

100 THE OPOSSUMS.

vapa, which is situate about fifty leagues from As-
somption in Paraguay.

Observations. — This species appears to resemble in
some respects the D. Derbianus, but wants (according
to the description) the grey stripe on the back and
thigh, the naked portion of the tail is much shorter
in proportion. In D. Derbianus the tarsi are sooty
black, and the fore-feet are furnished with white
hairs, the naked portion of the tail is clouded with
dark brown, &c. These differences are too great to
admit of my considering the two species as identical.

I have never had an opportunity of examining
the present species.

THICK-TAILED OPOSSUM.

Didelphys crassicaudata.

Didelphys crassicaudata, Desmerest, Mamm. p. 527, Microure
troisieme, Azara, Quad, de Paraguay, vol. i., p. 284.

Description. — Length of head and body, 11 inches
3 lines; tail, 10 inches 3 lines ; from nose to ear, 2
inches 1^ lines; ear, 6 lines; tarsus, 1 inch 5^ lines
Head short, ears small, the posterior edge emargin-
ated near the base, distinctly furnished with hairs ;
tail slightly exceeding the body in length, very thick
at the base ; tarsi small; fur moderately long, rather
harsh and adpressed (much less woolly than in most
opossums,) general tint brownish-yellow, under parts
paler; anterior angle of the eye and muzzle brown •

DIDELPHYS CRASSICAUDATA. 101

the tip of the chin and also the tip of the muzzle on
either side, whitish ; on the cheeks, a little below the
eyes, is a yellowish patch which extends round the
angle of the mouth ; about one-third of the tail is
covered with fur of the same character and colour
as that on the body ; beyond this the tail is black,
excepting a small portion, about one inch in length
at the apex, which is white ; the hairs are short,
closely adpressed and scarcely hide the scales which
are beneath ; the fore portion of each foot is brown ;
the hairs covering the ears on the outer side are
brownish, and those on the inner side are yellow,
but towards the outer margin they are brown. The
hairs of the back have the basal half grey, and the
apical half ochreous, terminating in yellowish brown ;
on the belly and underside of the neck the hairs are
ochreous, faintly tinted with grey at the base. The
female has no pouch.

Observations. — The head of the D. crassicaudata
is shorter and less pointed than in most other opos-
sums ; the ears are unusually small, and the tail is
very thick. In the character of the fur also, this
species differs from most others, the hairs being rather
short and somewhat adpressed, and the soft under
;fur being very scanty: the specimens observed by
;Azara varied considerably in their colouring. It
inhabits Buenos Ayres and Paraguay. A specimen,
procured by Mr. Darwin at Maldonado, and from
which the above description is taken, weighed 14^ oz.

102 THE OPOSSUMS.

PHILANDER OPOSSUM.

Didelphys Philander.
Didelphys Philander, Temminck.

Description. — Size of D. opossum, muzzle short
and obtuse; tail longer than the head and hody taken
together ; ribs very broad ; fur very soft, cotton-like
and glossy, of a bright rusty fawn colour on the
upper parts of the body, and tinted with yellowish
on the sides; under parts of the body yellowish
white ; a brown patch encircles the eyes and extends
forward on the sides of the muzzle; a narrow brownish
line runs from the tip of the muzzle and terminates
on the crown of the head ; the forehead on either
side of this line is greyish white ; the ears are large,
of an oval form and brownish colour, and the feet
are of the same tint ; the tail is covered at the base
with fur like that of the body, beyond this it is co-
vered with scales, at the base brown,, and at the apex
white, an intermediate space is mottled with brown
and white. The female is provided with a pouch J

Length from nose to root of tail, 9 inches ; tail, IS'I
inches; from nose to ear, 1 inch 9 lines; ear, 10 lines;
tarsus, 1 inch 5 lines ; length of portion of tail covered
with fur, 2 inches 8 lines.

In an animal now before me, which agrees in all
essential particulars with the foregoing description,
there is scarcely any brown colouring on the tail,
it is confined to a few scattered spots on the basal

DIDELPHYS CINEREA. 103

portion; on the other hand I observed a specimen at
Paris, in which the tail was almost totally brown,
having only a few white spots; this specimen did not
differ otherwise from another in which the tail is
coloured as mentioned in the foregoing description.
In the females the fur is of an ashy-fawn colour, and
the region of the pouch is furnished with rusty-red
hairs. They are always much larger than the males.
Inhabits Surinam and Guyana.

CINEREOUS OPOSSUM.

Didelphys cinerea.
Didelphys cinerea, Temminck.

Description. — Size of the Black-Rat (Mus rattus;)
head small ; muzzle very short ; tail very slender,
much longer than the head and body taken together;
the fur is thick but short and of a cotton-like texture.
The males are of an ashy-grey colour, the extreme
points of the hairs on the upper parts of the body are
blackish ; the under parts of the body and inner side
of the limbs are whitish, the throat and chest are
slightly tinted with rust colour ; the fur on the upper
surface of the head is of the same tint as that of the
back, there is no central black stripe ; the eye is
encircled with black ; the tail is covered at the base
\vith fur like that of the body, the remaining portion
is perfectly destitute of hairs ; the basal half is of
a brown colour, and the remaining portion is white.

In the females the fur is somewhat tinted with

104 THE OPOSSUMS.

rust colour, and in the region of the ears and on the
cheeks there is a yellowish tint ; they have no pouch.

Length from nose to root of tail, 6 inches 9 lines ;
of tail, 10 inches 6 lines; of hairy portion of tail, 2
inches 2 lines ; from nose to eye, 1\ lines.

This species was discovered in Brazil by Mr. Nat-
terer.

MERIAN'S OPOSSUM.*

Didelphys dorsigera.
Didelphys dorsigera, Temminck.

Description. — Tail slender, longer than the head and
body taken together, clothed at the base with hair like
that of the body, the remaining portion naked and of
a brown colour ; fur short and somewhat adpressed,
the hairs on the upper parts of the body are grey at
the base, and greyish-brown, or brown, at the apex ;
the under parts of the body are yellowish white ; a
deep brown spot encircles the eyes, this spot is most
extended in front of the eye, above arid beneath the
eye it occupies but a narrow space; the forehead and
vertex of the head are yellowish-white, the cheeks
are of the same tint, as are also the outer side of the
limbs and the feet.

* I have taken this name (which is that of a " German
Paintress") from Pennant who says that lady was the first
discoverer of the species. I must observe, however, that Pen-
nant's description does not very well agree with that above,
though he refers it to the Didelphys dorsigera of Linnaeus.

DIDELPHYS MURINA. 105

Length from nose to root of tail, 5 inches 1 1 lines;
of tail, 7 inches 7 lines ; the hairy portion of the tail
is about 1 inch ; from nose to eye, 7§ lines.

Observations. — This species inhabits Surinam. The
females have no pouch, in its place there is a fold
of the skin of the belly, which may be regarded as
a rudimentary pouch. The young, when sufficiently
old to leave the teats to which they are at first
attached, are carried by the parent on her back,
where they retain their position by means of their
prehensile tails, which are entwined round that of
the mother. It is this habit of carrying the young
on the back, which has given rise to the name dor-
sigera ; this name, however, might be applied with as
much propriety to several other species, (such as D.
cinerea, murina, tricolor, and brachyura,) in which
there is only a rudimentary pouch.

MURINE OPOSSUM.

Didelphys murina.
Didelphys murina, Temminck.

Description. — Tail rather longer than the head
and body taken together ; the hairy portion of but
small extent, the naked portion of an uniform yellow
colour. Fur somewhat adpressed and short ; the
general tint of the upper parts of the body is rusty
or yellowish, but the hairs are deep grey at the base ;
the head is yellowish — without any longitudinal dark
stripe on the forehead ; a deep bro\vn tint surrounds

106 THE OPOSSUMS.

the eyes, which is most extended in front of the eye ;
the whole of the under parts are yellowish white, and
the cheeks are of the same tint ; the fur which covers
the base of the tail is coloured like that of the back ;
the ears are yellowish.

Length from nose to root of tail, 5 inches ; tail, 5
inches 9 lines; hairy portion of tail about half an
inch; from nose to eye, 6| lines ; tarsus, (claws in-
cluded) 9| lines.

Observations. — The Murine Opossum inhabits the
northern parts of South America, and is very common
in Guyana. It burrows in the ground and climbs
trees, to the boughs of which it suspends itself by
the tail ; feeds upon small birds and insects, and is
said also to eat fruits. The female has no pouch.

ELEGANT OPOSSUM.
ans.

Didelphys elegans, Waterh. Zoology of the Voyage of H.M.S.
Beagle, No. IV. p. 12, Mammalia p. 95, PI. 31.

Description. — Length from nose to root of tail, 4
inches 6 lines ; of tail, 4 inches 4 lines ; of tarsus,
(claws included) 7| lines ; from nose to ear, 1 inch
J ^ lines ; of ear, 7^ lines. Muzzle slender and
pointed ; tail rather shorter than the head and body
taken together; fur long and very soft; general
tint of the upper parts of head and body ashy grey
washed with brown ; on the sides of the body,
especially near the shoulders a yellowish tint is

DIDELPHYS ELEGANS. 107

observable; the lower part of the cheeks, throat,
under parts of the body and feet, are white, with an
indistinct yellowish tint ; the eyes are encircled with
brownish black, which tint is extended forwards on
the sides of the muzzle ; the upper surface of the
muzzle and the inter- orbital space is pale. The tail
is furnished throughout with minute decumbent hairs,
excepting a small naked space at the tip beneath, of
about one line in length ; on the upper surface they
are brown, and on the under they are whitish. The
fur of the upper and under parts of the body is deep
grey at the base ; on the lower part of the cheeks,
chin, and on the mesial line of the throat and chest,
the hairs are uniform — not grey at the base. The
ears are naked and of a brown colour.

Observations, — The specimens, from which the
above description is taken, were brought by Mr.
Darwin from Valparaiso. Mr. Darwin states, that
they " frequent thickets growing on the rocky hills
near Valparaiso. They are exceedingly numerous,
and are easily caught in traps, baited either with
cheese or meat. The tail appeared to be scarcely
at all used as a prehensile organ ; they are able to
run up trees with some degree of facility. I could
distinguish in their stomachs the larvae of beetles."

THREE-STRIPED OPOSSUM.

Didelphys tristriata.

PLATE III.
Didelphys tristriata, Fischer ', Synopsis Mammalium, p. 269.

Description. — Size a little larger than the common

108 THE OPOSSUMS.

mouse (Mus musculus.) Head much pointed, ears
rather small, tail short : colour deep rich brown ;
beneath, yellowish -brown ; three longitudinal black
stripes on the back ; the central stripe is the broad-
est, commences between the eyes and extends to the
root of the tail ; the lateral lines commence a little
behind the ear, and also terminate at the root of the
tail : the top of the muzzle is almost black ; a deep
rich yellow tint prevails on the cheeks, and over the
haunches and hinder legs, there is a deep rusty brown
hue : the feet are dark brown, and so are the ears,
which are almost naked : the tail is furnished with
minute hairs and exhibits scales, it is black above
and brown beneath ; a small space beneath, at the
apex, of about one line in length, is naked. The fur
is very short and adpressed ; the hairs, both on the
upper and under side of the body, are greyish at the
base : the claws of the fore-feet are rather strong, and
adapted for burrowing.

Length from nose to root of tail, 4 inches 3 lines ;
tail, 2 inches 1 line; from tip of muzzle to Vase of
ear, 1 inch and a half line ; ear, 3 lines ; tarsus,
(claws included) 8| lines.

Observations. — This pretty little opossum appears
to be rare in collections, for M. Temminck, never
having seen one, did not admit it in his Monograph.
It was mistaken for a shrew by many of the older
authors, being the Sorex Braziliensis of Erxleben
and some others — and the Brazilian shrew of Pen-
nant. The specimen before me, the mouth being
wide open, enables me to examine the dentition, which

DIDELPHYS TRICOLOR. 109

does not differ from other opossums — the canines are
rather small. It certainly bears a great resemblance
to a shrew, and no doubt, like many other small opos-
sums, feeds upon insects, and judging from its claws,
I should imagine it was a good burrower.

These small insectivorous opossums being common
in S. America, accounts for there being no species of
the order Insectitora. No shrews or hedgehogs have
yet been found in that part of the world, — they are
in fact replaced by these small opossums.

TRICOLORED OPOSSUM.

Didelphys tricolor.
Didelphys tricolor, Geoff. Catal. des Mamm. p. 144, sp. 7.

Description. — Top of the head and whole upper
surface of the body nearly uniform black, the hairs,
however, are obscurely annulated with greyish- white,
which produces a somewhat grizzled appearance :
chin, throat, sides of the head, (extending a little
above the eye) the sides of the body, tail, and outer
side of the limbs deep rich rusty-red; chest and
under parts of the body white, with a faint yellowish
tint. Fur short and adpressed. Fur, like that of the
body, extends about 1^ inches on the tail. Feet
black ; the tarsi obscurely grizzled with rust colour ;
ears naked. The tail is short and very thick at the
base. The head is large.

Length from nose to root of tail, 5 inches 6 lines ;
from nose to ear, 1 inch 2| lines ; of tail. 2 inches

110 THE OPOSSUMS.

8 lines; tarsus, 10 lines; ear 5 lines. The female
has no pouch.

Observations. — The above description is taken
from a specimen contained in the Museum at Paris.
A second specimen in the same Museum differed in
being a little paler, there being a greater admixture
of grey in the colouring of the upper parts of the
body.

This species is found in Guyana and Cayenne; it lives
in the woods and feeds upon insects. The Microure
ciuquieme of Azara is referred by some authors to the
present animal, but his description certainly agrees
with the D. brachyura, a specimen of which was
brought by Mr. Darwin from Maldonado, which is
near the territory of Azara's researches.

In the Museum of the College of Surgeons there
is a small opossum closely resembling the present
species in size and proportions, but which is of an
uniform brown-black colour above, and pale brown
beneath — darker on the under side of the head and
throat — I can trace no rusty red on the sides of the
body, nor can the under parts ever have been white.
It is preserved in spirits, but the colours are distinct.
This animal can scarcely be a variety, either of the
Didelphys tricolor or D. brachyura. Should other
specimens like it be discovered, the specific name
Hunter i might be appropriate.

Didelpkys tricolor and D. brachyura differ from
other species of the genus in having a short tail,
which I should imagine is but little used as an organ
of prehension.

LIDELPHYS BIUCHYURA.

SHORT-TAILED OPOSSUM.

Didelphys brachyura.
Didelphys brachyura, Auct.

Description. — Length from nose to root of tail, 6
inches ; from nose to ear, 1 inch 6 lines ; of tail, 2
inches 8 lines ; of tarsus, (claws included) 8f lines ;
of ear, 3f lines. Head large; canine teeth very large;
ears rather small ; tail short, rather more than half
the length of the hody ; fur short and crisp ; the
upper surface of the head and back ashy-grey, griz-
zled with yellowish-white ; the sides of the head and
body, and under parts rusty-yellow, rather paler on
the belly than other parts, and of a deeper hue on
the rump and cheeks ; the eye is encircled with rusty-
yellow ; feet yellowish ; tail clothed with short stiff
hairs, and exhibiting scales, brownish above and dirty
yellowish-white beneath ; a small naked space be-
neath of about two lines in length. Fur of the back
greyish at the base, that on the belly uniform ; ears
clothed with minute yellowish-white hairs. The
female has no pouch.

Observations. — Temminck gives as the locality of
this species, Guyana, he also says it is very common
in Surinam. It must have a wide range for Mr.
Darwin procured a specimen at Maldonado La Plata,
he states that he found in its intestines the remains
of insects, chiefly ants, — there were also some belong-
ing to the order Hemiptera.

I 1 2 THE OPOSSUMS

DIDELPHYS PUSILLA.

Didelphys pusilla. Desmerest, Mamm. p. 261, Microure* sixie
me, ou Microure nain Azara Quad, du Paraguay. Vol. i., p.
304. French Trans.

Description. — Fur short and soft, above mouse
grey, beneath whitish ; eye surrounded with black,
the black most extended in front, above eye whitish,
a spot of yellowish-white beneath the eye; tail naked.
Length from nose to root of tail, 3 inches 4 lines ;
tail, 3 inches 8 lines ; ear, 6 lines, width, 4 lines.

Habitat Paraguay.

I have never examined a specimen of this species.

THE YAPOCK OPOSSUM.

Chironectes Yapock.
PLATE IV.

Chironectes Yapock Desm. Mamm. p. 261. Spe. 400. Lutra
memina Zimmerm. Geogr. Zool.

Didelphys Palmata. Geoff.

Description. — Form moderately stout ; tail thick,
longer than the head and body taken together ; ears
moderately large ; fur soft and woolly ; ground colour
of the upper parts of the body grey, a broad transverse
sooty-black mark runs across the shoulders, a second
large dark patch crosses the middle of the back, a
third crosses the haunches, and lastly there is another
behind this which extends partly on to the tail, is

CHIRONECTES YAPOCK. 113

continued down the back of the hind-legs, and also
on the outer side near the heel ; these patches are
connected by a broadish dorsal line, which com-
mences at the occiput, (where it joins a large round
patch, situated between the ears,) and terminates on
the tail ; the face is black, and a band of the same
colour runs backwards from the eye beneath the ear
on to the side of the neck ; the upper lip, lower
portion of the cheeks, and the whole of the under
parts of the head and body, and the inner side of the
limbs are white ; fur like, that of the body extends
about 2^ inches on to the base of the tail ; beyond this
the tail is covered with rather large scales, between
which there are minute hairs, both the scales and hairs
are black, excepting on the apical portion of the tail
where they are white, the white portion is about 4
inches in length ; the hairs of the moustaches are
most of them black, but some are white ; feet brown ;
the toes of the fore-feet are long, united at the base
to the end of the first phalanger ; on the outer side
of the foot there is an elongated tubercle, " an unu-
sual development of the pisiform bone,"* having the
appearance of a rudimental sixth toe ; the underside
of the foot is furnished with a remarkably large fleshy
pad, the surface of which is rough ; the pads on the
underside of the toes, at their extremity, are also
very large, and appear in a measure to envelope the
claws which are small and weak, and of a white
colour ; the hind-feet are very large, the toes are

* See Professor Owen on the Classification of the Marsupi-
alia. Proc. Z. S. January 1839, p. 1 1.

H

114 THE OPOSSUMS.

long and tied together by an ample membrane which
terminates near the base of the claws ; the thumb,
like the inner toe, is large, and has no nail — it- is con-
nected with the toes by a membrane ; the claws are
moderate, curved and compressed, the claws of the
two inner toes are more compressed than the others.

Length from nose to root of tail, 10^ inches; tail,
13^ inches.

Observations. — The above description is taken
from a specimen deposited in the Museum of the
Zoological Society by W. B. Scott, Esq.

At the scientific meeting of the Zoological Society
for May 1836, a specimen of Chironectes Yapock
was exhibited, on which Mr. Ogilby made the follow-
ing remarks : —

" I am indebted to Mr. Natterer for the oppor-
tunity of examining this rare and curious animal, of
which he brought various specimens from Brazil.
That now exhibited is a male, and possesses the same
anomaly in the generative organs which characterizes
the rest of the Marsupials. I have not seen the
female, but Mr. Natterer informs me that the ab-
dominal pouch is complete, The species is found in
all the smaller streams of Brazil, and appears to ex-
tend from the southern confines of that empire, to
the shores of the Gulf of Honduras; Buffon's specimen
came from Cayenne, and a skin was recently obtained
by Mr. W. Brown Scott, labelled e Demerara Otter.9
Both this and Mr. Natterer's specimen agree with
the figure and description of Buffon, except that they
are of a larger size, and instead of a grey mark over

CHIRONECTES YAPOCK. 115

each eye, have a complete band of that colour ex-
tending entirely across the forehead. In Mr. Nat-
terer's specimen the terminal half-inch of the tail
only is white ; in Mr. Scott's, on the contrary, the
last 4 inches are of this colour : the tail is exactly
of the same length as the body; it measured 10
inches in the former specimen and 12 in the latter,
but Mr. Natterer informs me, that he has other
specimens which measure 14 or 15 inches in length.
" The teeth of this animal are altogether differeBt
from those of the Opossums (Didelphys ;) and I am
at a loss to reconcile my own observations with those
of M. F. Cuvier upon the subject, as given in ' Les
Dents des Mammiferes/ p. 73, unless by supposing
that there must have been some mistake about the
skull referred by M. Cuvier to the Yapock. For my
own part, I could not be deceived in this matter, as the
skull which I examined had never been extracted
from the specimen. The incisors and canines are of
the same form and number as in the true Opossums,
the two middle incisors above being rather longer
than the lateral, those below broader and a little
separate. The molars are five on each side, two
false and three real, both in the upper and under
jaws. The first false molar is rather small, and is
in contact with the canine, both above and below; the
second is half as large again, and both are of a
triangular form, with apparently two roots. The
three real molars are of the normal form of these
teeth among the Opossums. The first of the upper
jaw is longer than it is broad, and has four sharp
elevated tubercles, with a low heel projecting back-

1 1 6 THE OPOSSUMS.

wards ; the second resembles it in general form, but
is larger and broader ; the third is small, and re-
sembles the tuberculous molars of the true Camivora.
In the lower jaw the three real molars do not
materially differ in point of size. They are narrower
than those of the upper, have their tubercles arranged
in a single longitudinal series, a single large one in
the centre, and a smaller on each side.

" The Yapock has very large cheek -pouches, which
extend far back into the mouth, and of which the
opening is very apparent."

It does not appear, from the above description, that
the dentition of the Yapock is " altogether different"
from that of the Opossums. This animal agrees with
Didelphys (and with no other mammiferous animal)
in the number of its incisors, and as regards the other
teeth, the only important difference consists in the
number of molars. The absence of a false molar on
each side of the upper and under jaws would appear
of little importance, inasmuch as such a deficiency is
frequently observed in nearly allied animals. The
permanent absence of a true molar is much more
worthy of consideration. These differences have not
yet been discovered in an adult animal, for Dr. Nat-
terer, who brought three specimens with him from
South America, informs me that the animal ex-
amined by Mr. Ogilby was young, and that an adult
specimen which he possesses, is much larger. Two
of M. Natterer's specimens,, he informs me, were
caught near water not far distant from Rio Janeiro ;
the third was captured alive, near Para, in a basket
to those used in this country for catching

DASYURID^E.

U7

eels — it had made its way through the funnel-
shaped opening, and could not return — thus proving
that these animals are good divers. This naturalist
states that they feed upon Crustacea.

THE DASYURES.
DASYURID^E.

The animals of this
group are the analogues
of the Carnivora among
ordinary mammalia, they
possess the same general
form of skull, and the
structure of their teeth is
very nearly the same as in
the Opossums; they differ,
however, in having only
eight incisors in the upper
jaw, and six in the lower.
They form an exception
to the other Marsupialia,
in having no caecum. In
external characters, the
most striking difference
consists in the tail being
well clothed with hair,
and in not being prehen-
sile. These differences
induced Geoffroy to sepa-

TKBTH Or UPPER AND LuWKR JAW

OF Dasyuru* urtinus.

118 THE DASYURE3.

rate the Dasyures from the Opossums, and they
were first pointed out by him in the " Annales
du Museum"* for 1804. Some differences in the
number of the teeth, and some modifications in
their form, as well as in the external characters
of these animals, were subsequently seized upon by
M. Temminck,t to divide the group into three
genera. We shall begin with that which contains the
largest carnivorous marsupial quadruped — the Native
Hyaena or Dog-headed Opossum, which constitutes
Temminck's genus Thylacinus. Its teeth are : —

Incisors, f; canines, \\\ ; false molars, |:| ; true
molars, £;|=46. The incisors, both of upper and
lower jaws, are arranged so as to form a segment of
a circle; the outermost incisors are the largest, and the
innermost the smallest : they are all slightly com-
pressed, and in fact closely resemble those of the
Dog. The canines are large, and but slightly com-
pressed. The false molars have each two roots, and
are compressed and pointed, — viewed laterally, they
present nearly a triangular figure, but the point is
slightly recurved, and there is a small posterior cusp
more or less distinct. The true molars of the upper
jaw greatly resemble the " Carnassiere" in the
true Carnivora ; their horizontal section presents an
isosceles triangle, the base of which is foremost, and
forms almost a right angle with the outer surface of
the jaw; they present a cutting edge, the central

* Tom. iii., p. 333.

•f- See his Troisieme Monographic, sur les Mammiferes du
Genre Dasyure, &c.

DASYURIDjE. 119

portion of which is most elevated, and a large inner
cusp ; the cutting edge opposite this cusp is notched ;
the posterior molar is smaller than the others, and
differs slightly in shape. These molars have three
fangs, whilst the true molars, in the lower jaw, have
only two. They are compressed, and, viewed later-
ally, present nearly a triangular figure, but are deeply
notched before and behind, so that there are three
elevated cusps, of which the central one is the largest.
The feet nearly resemble those of the Dog ; there
are five short toes to the fore-feet, which are devoid
of hair beneath, and exceedingly rough ; on the hind-
feet there are four short toes, which, as well as those
of the fore-feet, are armed with short, thick, and but
slightly compressed claws ; the pad at the base of
the toes is naked, and there is a naked line extend-
ing backwards to the heel. The remaining external
characters are given in the description of the species,
Thylacinv* cynocephalus. Its internal anatomy is
not known.

In the section of Dasyures — to which the term
Dasyurus* is now restricted — the teeth are : —

Incisors, f ; canines, {:{ ; false molars, §:| ; true
molars, |;|=42. There are so many points of re-
semblance between the dentition of Dasyurus proper,
and Thylacinus, that I s^all merely notice the prin-
cipal differences. In the first place, the outer incisor
on each side of each jaw is not larger than the rest; the
true molars, of the upper jaw, as viewed from above,

* Hairy tail.

120 THE

are nearly in the form of a right angled triangle, and
instead of being elevated so as to present a cutting
edge, they are furnished with numerous pointed
tubercles : on the outer edge of the teeth are three
cusps,* a little within these are two other pointed
tubercles, and on the inner side of the tooth we ob-
serve the inner lobe produced into a point : the last
molar is narrow and placed transversely in the jaw.
The true molars of the lower jaw present about five
sharply pointed cusps ; three of these are visible as
we view the outer side of the tooth, and of these, the
central one is the largest; the other two are within
and have no representative in the Thylacinus. Such
is the dentition of Dasyurus viverrinus, which may
be regarded as a typical example of the genus, but
in Das. ursinus we find the dentition in almost all
respects intermediate, and owing to the shortness of
the muzzle in this animal the false molars are thrown
close together, and are much shorter than in other
species ; the first false molar, instead of being most
extended in the longitudinal direction is broader than
long ; the crown of the second is nearly round ; the
middle pair of incisors of the upper jaw are larger
than those next them : the canines are very large.

The fore-feet are furnished with five well develop-
ed toes, armed with sharp, compressed, slightly curved
claws, which are of moderate size ; the central toe
is the longest and the inner toe is the shortest. The

* I can perceive no trace of the central cusp of these three,
in the molars of Thylacinus.

DASYURID^E. 121

hind-feet are furnished with four well developed toes,
which differ but little in length ; the claws scarcely
differ from those of the fore-feet. In Dast/urus
macrourus and D. Geoffroyi, there is a small nail-
less thumb : in D. Maugei the thumb is not visible
externally, but its bones exist in the skeleton.*
Though small, the thumb in D. macrourus is oppose-
able, as in the Opossums, and in the genus Phasco-
gale. The hind-feet are naked beneath, but the sides
of the heel are clothed with hair. The ears are of
moderate size, and in general tolerably well clothed
with hair. The tail is not prehensile, always well
clothed, and usually bushy : the tip of the muzzle is
naked. These animals do not live upon trees like
most of the true Opossums, — they hide themselves
in holes or in crevices of rocks, during the day,
and at night prowl about like weasels in search of
their prey. They are extremely voracious, and very
destructive to the poultry and live stock of the colo-
nists of Van Diemen's Land and the continent of Aus-
tralia.

The third division of the Dasyures, to which M.
Temminck gives the name Pkascogale, comprises

* In a skeleton foot of the Thylacinus, I do not find these
bones, — we have, therefore, in the Dasyures, a complete
transition from the Opossums, with their large opposeable
thumbs, to the thumbless Thylacinus ; first, in the reduced
size observable in Phascoyale and Dasyurus macrourus ; next,
in the existence of the bones only, without any external ap-
pearance of the member, as in D. Maugei, and, lastly, in the
absence of the bones themselves.

122 THE DASYURES.

species of much smaller size than either of the two
preceding, the four known species of Dasyurus
being but little inferior to the common cat in size or
equal to it, whilst the largest Phascogale is scarcely
equal to a full grown rat. In this genus the toes
of the fore-feet are more slender and elongated than
in Dasyurus, and so are those of the hind-feet, the
claws are also longer and more curved: circumstances
which would lead us to believe they climb trees —
at least occasionally. The thumb on the hind-foot
is small and nailess : there are five toes to the fore-
feet, and four, besides the thumb, to the hind-feet :
the fleshy pads on the under side of the toes of the
hind-feet are very large. The tip of the muzzle is
naked and divided in the middle by a longitudinal
groove. The ears are of moderate size, their poste-
rior edge is emarginated., and they are naked, or but
sparingly clothed with hairs. In dentition they
approach still more near to the Opossums than the
typical Dasyures — the teeth are : —

Incisors, f ; canines, \\\ ; false molars, |:| ;
true molars, |:|=46. The two foremost incisors
of the upper jaw are decidedly larger than the rest,
and separated from them by a small interspace ; the
other incisors are arranged three on each side, and
placed closely together ; in these respects resembling
the Opossums more nearly than Dasyurus, in which
the incisors are arranged in nearly a semicircle, and
are of equal size, or very nearly so. The incisors of
the lower jaw are inclined forwards and but slightly
upwards; the central pair are the largest. The canines

THYLACINUS CYNOCEPHALUS. 123

are of moderate size — less than in Dasyurus: the
false molars are compressed and pointed : in the
upper jaw the foremost false molar is the smallest
and the posterior one the largest, but in the lower
jaw the posterior one is the smallest. The true
molars agree in form with those of Dasyurus. The
principal differences therefore, as regards the denti-
tion, between Dasyurus and Phascogale consists in
there being an extra false molar on each side of the
upper and under jaws, in the lateral arrangement of
the incisors and the large size of the anterior pair.
The Phascogales in all probability feed chiefly upon
insects.

THE THYLACINUS.

Thylacinus cynocephalus.
PLATE V.

Didelphys cynocephalus, Harris. Linnaean Transactions, ix.

p. 174, PI. 19.

Dasyurus cynocephalus, Geojf. Ann. du Mus. xv., p. 304.
Thylacinus Harrisii Temminck. Monogr.
Nearly equal to a wolf in size ; head like that of a dog ;

tail rather slender, about half the length of the body ; fur

short ; general colour pale brown ; numerous transverse

black marks on the back and haunches.

The ears are rather short, somewhat pointed, and

1 very broad at the base, well clothed with hairs both

internally and externally ; on the outer side the hairs

are coloured like those of the upper part of the head,

excepting towards the tip where they are paler ; on

124 THE DASYURES.

the inner side the hairs are brown-white, slightly
inclining to yellowish, those on the fore part are
extremely long — upwards of one inch in length ; the
fur is short, the average length ahout 8 lines, rather
harsh but somewhat woolly ; all the hairs are waved :
the general colour is pale brown with an obscure yellow
wash ; on the back and haunches are numerous trans-
verse black, or brown-black bands; these bands com-
mence a little behind the shoulders, and at first are
narrow and indistinct; towards the middle of the back
they become broader, and the spaces between the
bands are scarcely broader than the bands them-
selves ; over the haunches and rump, where the dark
bands are broadest, they exceed the interspaces in
width. The anterior bands do not extend on to the
sides of the body, but those over the haunches are
rather more extended in a lateral direction : the last
band but two runs down on to the outer side of the
thigh ; the penultimate band forms three parts of a
circle ; the last one crosses the root of the tail :
the number of bands is about 17. The tail * is thick
at the base, where it is covered with somewhat
woolly fur like that of the body,t the space occupied
by this fur, is about three inches in length, — beyond
this, the tail is covered with very short, stiff, and
closely adpressed hairs, which on the upper surface
of the tail are brown, and on the under surface
pale brown : on the apical portion of the tail, beneath)

* In two skins I find the tail somewhat compressed.

+ In this respect reminding us of the species of Didelphys.

THYLACINUS CYNOCEPHALUS. 125

the hairs are comparatively long — that is, they are
about half an inch in length, or rather more, — and at
the tip they form a small tuft ; these longer hairs
are of the same colour as those on other parts of tail,
but at the tip they are blackish : one distinct broad
transverse mark is observable, crossing the base of
the tail above, and beyond this there are faint tracings
of one or two narrow dark marks. The general tint
of the head is rather paler than that of the body ; on
the cheeks and above the eyes, the hairs are whitish
brown ; immediately in front of the eye is a smallish
black patch ; connected with this is a narrow black
line which runs over the eye and becomes rathe
broader at the posterior angle ; the muzzle is dusky ;
the hairs on the edge of the upper lip are white.
The chin, throat, chest, belly and inner side of the
limbs are brown-white ; the limbs externally, and
the feet, scarcely differ in tint from the upper parts
of the body. The fur on the back and sides of the
body, is of a deep brown-colour next the skin ; the
hairs are very pale yellowish-brown, inclining to
brown-white, (excepting those which form the dark
bands,) towards the apex, and brown or blackish at
the apex, blackish on the back, and brownish on the
sides of the body : on the belly the hairs are also
brown at the base, but rather paler than those of the
back, externally they are brown-white. The sole
of the fore-feet, and underside of the toes, is devoid
of hair and exceedingly rough ; a narrow naked
space extends from the great pad at the base of the
toes, (which is divided into three portions by some-

126 THE DASYUKES.

what shallow indentations) to the wrist; on the
underside of the hind-foot, there is a narrow naked
portion extending from the heel to the great pad at
the base of the toes, which is also naked as well as
the underside of the toes. The claws of the fore
and hind-feet are about equal in size; they are short,
thick, but slightly compressed, nearly solid and of
a brown-black colour. Hairs of the moustaches
numerous, rather long and of a black colour.

The hairs in the region of the pouch of the female
are of a deep rust colour.

Length from nose to root of tail, (measuring over
the curve of the back) 2 feet 9 inches, — measuring
in a straight line, about 2 feet 3 inches ; length of
tail, 14 inches; tarsus, 5 inches 3 lines; from tip oi
muzzle to base of ear, 6 inches; from tip of muzzle to
eye, 3 inches four lines ; length of ear, 2 inches ;
width of do. at base, 2 inches 6 lines; length of
skull, 6 inches 8 lines ; width 3 inches 1 0 lines ;
length of palate, 3 inches 9 lines.

The above description is taken from a specimen
in the Museum of the Zoological Society. A skin
recently presented to that Society by Mr. Everett,
has evidently belonged to a much larger specimen,
approaching in size that described by Harris in the
Linnsean Transactions, which measured from the tip
of the muzzle to the end of the tail, 5 feet 10 inches,
of which the tail is about 2 feet ; height of the fore
part of the shoulders, 1 foot 10 inches; of hind
part, 1 foot ] 1 inches. A specimen noticed by M.
Temminck was nearly six feet in length, including

THYLACINUS CYNOCEPHALUS. 127

the tail. Mr. Harris, who saw the animal alive, says
the eyes are large, full, and of a black colour, that
the tail is much compressed and tapering to a point
and that the sides and under parts are bare as if
worn by friction, not prehensile. As regards the
compressed form of the tail, my observations confirm
those of Mr. Harris ; I have, however, only seen one,
in which the flesh was dried. Mr. Gunn, in the
Magazine of Natural History, says the tail is not
compressed. The apical portion appears much com-
pressed, but this arises from the long hairs with which
it is furnished on the under side.

The Thylacinus inhabits Van Diemen's Land where
it is called the Tiger, Hysena, and used formerly to
be known among the colonists by the names, Zebra-
Opossum, and Zebra- Wolf.

Of the habits of this animal Mr. Harris states,
" It inhabits amongst caverns and rocks in the deep
and almost impenetrable glens in the neighbourhood
of the highest mountainous parts of Van Diemen's
Land, where it probably preys on the Brush Kan-
garoo, and various small animals that abound in
those places. That from which this description,
(Mr. Harris's,) and the drawing accompanying it,
were taken, was caught in a trap baited with Kan-
garoo flesh. It remained alive but a few hours,
having received some internal hurt in securing it.
It from time to time uttered a short guttural cry,
and appeared exceedingly inactive and stupid ; hav-
ing, like the owl, an almost continual motion of the
nictilant membrane of the eye.

128 THE DASYURE3.

" On dissecting this quadruped, nothing particular
was observed in the formation of its viscera, &c.
differing from others of its genus. (Mr. Harris con-
siders it a Didelphys.) The stomach contained the
partly digested remains of a porcupine ant-eater/'
Echidna hystrix.

Mr. Gunn* observes that the Thylacinus is com-
mon in the more remote parts of the colony, and is
often caught at Woolnorth and Hampshire hills. It
usually attacks sheep in the night, but is also seen
during the day time ; upon which occasion^ perhaps
from its imperfect vision by day, its pace is very
slow.

URSINE DASYURUS.

Dasyurus ursinus.

Dasyurus ursinus, Geoff. Ann. du Mus. torn. xv. p. 305.
Didelphys ursina, /form, Linnaan Trans, vol. ix., p. 176, PI.
19.

Description. — Form very stout ; head very large,
short ; ears broad and moderately long ; fur mode-
rately long, harsh, and of a black colour ; a broad
white band crosses the chest and runs backwards
over the base of the fore-legs ; a second broad white
band crosses the haunches; chest brownish: the
fur both on the upper and under parts of the body
brown next the skin : tail very thick, furnished with

* See Annals of Natural History for 1838, vol. i., p. 101.

DASYURES URSINUS. 129

tongish brown-black hairs; naked tip to muzzle,
brown ; the fur on the sides of the muzzle is not
sufficiently close to hide the flesh ; the ears are flesh
coloured, partially covered with longish black hairs ;
on the outer side there are but few hairs ; the naked
soles of the feet are flesh coloured.

Length from nose to root of tail, 21 inches; tail,
7 inches ; nose to base of ear, 4 inches 2 lines ;
tarsus, 3 inches ; length of skull, 5 inches 2 lines ;
width, 4 inches ; length of palate, 2 inches 8^ lines.

Observations. — The white mark across the chest,
and that across the rump, are not always present,—*
at least they are not so much extended as above de-
scribed. In a skin before me, the chest mark does
not pass over the base of the fore-legs ; on one side
there is a white spot just below and behind the
shoulder ; there is no white mark across the rump,
but a single white patch on one side.

The Ursine Dasyurus inhabits Van Diemen's
Land, and is called by the colonists the native
Devil, by which name it was known upwards of
thirty years back.

Mr, Harris states that cr these animals were very
common on our first settling at Hobart Town, and
were particularly destructive to poultry, &c. They,
lowever, furnished the convicts with a fresh meal,
and the taste was said to be not unlike veal. As
the settlement increased, and the ground became
cleared, they were driven from their haunts near
the town, to the deeper recesses of the forests yet
unexplored. They are, however, easily procured

130 THE DASYURES.

by setting a trap in the most unfrequented parts of
the woods, baited with raw flesh, all kinds of which
they eat indiscriminately and voraciously ; they, also,
it is probable, prey on dead fish, blubber, &c., as
their tracks are frequently found on the sands of
the sea shore."

In my note book I have the following memoran-
dum of observations made upon this animal, — two
specimens of which have lived for a long time in the
Zoological Society's menagerie.

Upon first beholding the ursine opossum, the
large size of the head is very striking, and when it
opens its mouth, that is still more so. It is very
savage — makes a sort of growling noise when dis-
turbed— sleeps all day, and the keeper says it is not
very active at night — feeds upon bread and milk,
and meat — does not distinguish the keepers, not even
those who feed it — neither do the other Dasyuri.

Mr. Gunn says " the Devil is destructive to sheep
all over the colony, and is indeed the most destruc-
tive of our indigenous quadrupeds, the Thylacinus
being much scarcer. , The D. ursinus is nocturnal,
very fierce, and a match for an ordinary dog ; they
bite very severely."

SPOTTED-TAILED DASYURUS.

Dasyurus macrourus.

PLATE VI.
Dasyurus macrourus, Geoff. Ann. du Mus. iii., p. 358.

Description. — Size nearly equal to that of a cat ;

PLATE V

DASYUEUS MACBOURUS. 1&1

tail as long as the head and body taken together ;
ears rather short and rounded; head large; fur
rather short and harsh ; general colour deep rich
chestnut brown, somewhat rusty over the haunches,
and darker over the shoulders ; under parts of head
and body white, tinted with yellow in parts, espe-
cially on the throat and neck ; upper parts and sides
of body with irregular shaped white spots, those on
the sides of the body and over the haunches the
largest ; tail deep brown, with irregularly scattered
largish white spots, the hairs moderately long but
not bushy ; head of a paler tint than the body, the
hairs partly brown, and partly of a pale yellow
colour ; fore-legs whitish, mottled with yellow, toes
brownish ; hind-legs coloured and spotted as body
externally ; on the fore part they are of a dirty yel-
low-white colour ; tarsi brown, mottled with yellow.
The fur on the upper and under side of the body is
of a pale ash colour at the base, excepting the hairs
composing the pale spots, which are uniform. The
ears are sparingly clothed with hairs, excepting to-
wards the margin, where the hairs are rather long ;
hairs of moustaches long, and chiefly of a brownish
black colour.

Length from nose to root of tail, 17 inches; tail,
15 inches; nose to base of ear, 3 inches; ear, I
inch ; tarsus, 2 inches 7 lines.

Observations. — This species has proportionately a
shorter and more obtuse muzzle than either D.
Maugei or D. Geoff royi, the ears are also shorter
and more rounded, and the tail is longer.

132 THE DASYURES.

The Long-tailed, or Spotted-tailed Dasyurus in-
habits Van Diemen's Land ; it attains a larger size,
and appears to be a more powerfully made animal
than either of the other species of the genus, unless
it be the D. ursinus.

GEOFFROY'S DASYURUS.

Dasyurus Geo/royl.
Dasyurus Geoffroyi, Gould, Pioc. Zool. Soc. for Nov. 10, 1840.

General hue of the upper parts of head and body,
yellowish brown slightly inclined to greenish ; a tint
produced by the admixture of rich fulvous yellow
and black, the hairs being of the former colour near
the apex, and black at the tip : on the sides of the
body, and especially on the hinder parts, the fulvous
hue prevails : white spots, (some of which are very
small and others about half an inch in diameter,)
are scattered in an irregular manner over the whole
of the upper parts and sides of the body : upper lip,
chin, throat, and the whole of the under parts of the
body and inner side of the limbs, white, with a slight
yellowish tint, and in parts tinted with grey : tail
about equal to the body in length, cylindrical and
rather slender, at the base covered with fur of the
same general hue as the body, about the middle
there is a considerable admixture of black hairs and
at the tip the hairs are entirely of this colour ; feet
pale, mottled in parts with brownish; ears with
white hairs on the inner side, end clothed with short
brown hairs externally.

bASYtfRUS GEOFFROYI. 133

Length from the tip of the nose to the root of the
tail, about 16 inches ; tail, 12 inches, the long hairs
at the tip extending about l£ inches beyond; nose
to ear, 2 inches 7 lines ; ear, about 1 inch ; tarsus, 2
inches 2 lines, without the claws.

The above description is taken from a male speci-
men lent me for the purpose by Mr. Gould, who
procured it at Liverpool Plains, New South Wales.
A female, also lent me by Mr. Gould, was rather
smaller, and its colouring less rich. It appeared to
be adult, and to have had young ; the teats being very
large — there are six of them.

This species, in its colouring and size, is inter-
mediate between the Dasyurus macrourus and the
D. Maugei. From the latter it is readily distinguished
by its possessing a small thumb to the hind-foot, and
from D. macrourus by its less robust form and the
want of white spots on its tail ; its colouring more-
over is less deep, (not so rich a brown), and the spots
on the body are more numerous.

MAUDE'S DASYURUS.

Dasyurus Maugei.

PLATE VII.
Dasyurus Maugei, Geoff. Ann. du Mus. iii., 359.

Description. — Size about equal to that of the
rabbit. Fur long and loose, soft, and slightly wool-
ly ; general tint yellow-grey, on the back slightly

134 THE DASYURES.

pencilled with black, under parts of head and body,
and the feet, yellowish white ; on the upper parts
of the body are numerous largish white spots ; tail
rather short, bushy and without spots, general tint
paler than that of the body, whitish at the extremity ;
ears, and fleshy tip to the muzzle, flesh-coloured,
naked — a few pale hairs are observable near the
margins of the ears ; behind the ears is a large white
spot, the sides of the face are almost of an uniform
pale yellow ; sides of the muzzle, at the tip, whitish;
hairs of the moustaches rather long, and chiefly of a
brown-black colour ; claws white. The hairs of the
back are of a pale grey colour, pale yellow near the
tip, and black at the tip ; interspersed with the
ordinary fur are numerous longer hairs, the visible
portion of which is black ; the hairs of the tail are
chiefly of a yellow colour, there are however numer-
ous black hairs intermixed on the under side and at
the apical portion ; the hairs are of an uniform dirty
yellowish-white colour. On the under parts of the
head and body the hairs are of an uniform colour to
the root.

Length from nose to root of tail, 12 inches; tail,
(not including the long hair) 9 inches ; from tip of
nose to base of ear, 2 inches 8 lines ; ear, 1 inch 3
lines ; tarsus, (claws not included) 2 inches 1^ lines;
length of skull, 3 inches; width, 1 inch 8 lines; length
of palate, 1 inch 7 lines.

Observations. — In the skeleton of this species there
are the bones of a small thumb to the hind-foot, but
when the flesh is on the bones it is perfectly hidden,

DASYURUS MAUGEI. 135

and does not project in the form of a tubercle, as in
D. macrourus.

This species inhabits Van Diemen's Land and
New South Wales.

Dasyurus Maugei, Black Variety.
Dasyums viverrinus. Geoff. Ann. du Mus. iii., p. 360.

Description. — Black, with a purple-brown tint,
beneath, brown or greyish brown, back and sides of
body with largish scattered white spots ; tail slightly
bushy, of an uniform black or black -brown colour ;
legs and feet dark brown : the hairs on the ears of
the same colour as those of the head. The fur on
the back is grey at the base, that on the belly is pale-
grey at the base : the hairs of the moustaches are
long and of a black colour. Ears large, somewhat
pointed.

Length from nose to root of tail, 14^ inches ; of
tail, 9 inches — without including the long hair at
the tip.

Observations. — The tint of this animal varies slight-
ly ; it is sometimes nearly a pure black on the back,
but a purple-brown tint is usually observable — the
white spots vary somewhat as to size and number,
there are usually a few small white spots on the head
— the fur is not very soft but rather long.

This animal, which has by all naturalists been
regarded as a distinct species, Mr. Gould discovered,*

* Proceedings of the Zoological Society for Nov. 10 1840.

136 THE DASYURES.

during his stay in Van Diemen's Land, to be a variety
of the preceding, (Z). Maugei.) In a litter of four
young ones he found two grey specimens (the D.
Maugei?) and two black — he states however, that the
black variety is much more rare than the grey.

Instances are common in which we find black
varieties of animals usually otherwise coloured,, but
I do not recollect an instance in which coloured
varieties have been found, in a state of nature, of
animals typically black ; this circumstance, together
with the fact, that the black specimens are compara-
tively rare, has induced me to retain the name of
Maugei for the species in preference to that of
viverrinus.

BRUSH-TAILED PHASCOGALE.

Phascogcde penicillata.
PLATE VIII.

Phascogale penicillata, Temm.

Dasyurus penicillatus, Geoff. Ann. du Mus. iii., p. 361.

Didelphys penicillata, Shaw.

Tapoa Tafa, White, Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales.

Description. — About the size of a rat, (Mus de-
cumanus,) ears large ; tail rather long and very
bushy, excepting at the base ; colour of the upper
parts of the body grey, of the under parts white.
The fur is long, rather soft and loose : the hairs,
which constitute the chief clothing of the animal, on
the upper parts of the body are grey ; greyish-white

1

V

PHASCOGALE PENICtUATA. 137

near the apex and tipped with black ; numerous
longer hairs, which are of a black colour, are inter-
spersed ; on the under parts of the body, the hairs
are pale grey next the skin and white externally:
the hairs on the upper surface of the head are colour-
ed like those of the back, near the angles of the eye
they are blackish ; the edge of the upper lip and the
lower portion of the cheeks are whitish ; the mous-
taches are black, the hairs are numerous and very
long ; the ears are covered with extremely minute
grey and white hairs, but appear almost naked ; the
flesh was probably brownish when the animal was
alive ; they are very broad at the base, the apex is
rounded, and the outer margin is nearly straight;
the fore-feet are dirty white ; the hairs covering the
tarsi above are partly grey and partly white, over the
toes they are white ; the claws of both fore and hind
feet are rather long, much compressed and arched,
and of a whitish colour. About one inch of the tail
at the base is covered with loose fur like that of the
body, there is then a space about 1 ^ inch with harsher
hairs, which are of moderate length, and chiefly of a
dirty white colour ; on the under side of this portion
of the tail the hairs are shorter, very stiff, and of a
dark brown colour — it appears as if the animal oc-
casionally rested on this portion of the tail ; the re-
mainder 01 the tail, which is about two-thirds of the
whole length, is very bushy, being covered with black
hairs averaging about 2 inches in length.

Length from nose to root of tail, 7 inches 9 lines ;
length of tail, (not including the long hair) 7 inches

138 . THE DASYURES.

— with the hair 9 inches ; from nose to ear, 1 inch
6| lines; ear, 10 lines, width at the base about 11
lines; length of tarsus, (without the claws) 1 inch
5 lines.

Through the kindness of Prof. Owen, who allowed
me to examine the original specimen of the " Tapoa
Tafa " of White, now in the Museum of the College
of Surgeons, I am enabled to state with certainty that
it is the same as the Phascogale penicillata, — the
Dasyurus Tafa of Geoffrey must therefore be erased
from the list of species of Dasyuri.

The Brush-tailed Phascogale, Mr. Gould informs
me, is found throughout the Colony of New South
Wales, and is common on Liverpool Plains — he has
also met with it at Adelaide in South Australia. Ii?
the colony just mentioned, it frequently enters the
houses.

YELLOW-FOOTED PHASCOGALE.

Phascogale flampes.
PLATE IX.

Phascogale flavipes, Waterh. Proc. Zool. Soc. for July 1837,
p. 75.

Description. — Fur moderately long, not very soft,
consisting of hairs of two lengths. On the back the
shorter hairs are of a paleish ochre colour at the apex,
and the longer hairs are black, on the sides of the
body and limbs the ochreous hue prevails, the black
hairs being less numerous ; the under parts of the

PHASCOGALE FLAVIPES. 139

body are of a yellow colour, inclining to white on
the throat and mesial line of the belly ; all the hairs
are of a deep grey colour at the base both on the
upper and under parts of the body. The general
tint of the head is grey, a tint produced by the
admixture of black and white hairs ; the eyelids
are black ; the hairs immediately above and below
the eye are of a yellow-white colour, as are also
those of the upper lip and lower part of the cheeks.
The moustaches are moderately long ; the hairs are
black at the base and grey at the apex ; the ears are
of moderate size, and have the hinder portion emar-
ginated ; they are furnished externally with minute
hairs, those on the inner side being chiefly of a yellow
colour. The feet are of an uniform deep ochre
colour. The tail is about equal in length to the
body and half the head, and is furnished with small
and closely adpressed hairs, between which rings of
scales are visible ; on the apical portion of the tail,
( the hairs are longer ; the hairs on the under side of
the tail are of a deep buff colour, and those of the
upper side are black and yellow, excepting at the
apex, where all the hairs are black.

Length from nose to root of tail, 4 inches 8 lines;
of tail, 3 inches 5 lines ; from nose to base of ear, 1
inch ; tarsus (claws included) 9f lines ; ear, 6 lines.

Habitat North of Hunter's River, New South
Wales.

Observations. — The teeth in this species agree in
number with those of Phascogale penicillata, and in
fact scarcely differ in any respect, making allowance

140 THE DASYURES.

for the difference in the size of the animals. The
anterior pair of incisors of the upper jaw are separa-
ted hy a small interval from the rest which they
exceed in size ; there is not however quite so great
a difference in size between these anterior and the
lateral incisors as in P. penicillata. The molar teeth
are rather shorter and broader in proportion than in
the animal just mentioned. In the palate there are
two tolerable large incisive foramina, between which
there is a minute opening as in P. penicillata ; in the
back part of the palate there are two very large
openings, they commence opposite the fourth molar,
and terminate apparently opposite the last.* The
skull is narrower and rather more elongated than in
P. penicillata, the nasal bones are not so broad
behind.

I am informed by Mr. Gould, that this species is
frequently seen both on the ground and on trees, it
clings very closely to the trunks of the trees, keeping
its legs widely separated, and moving in little starts.

GEOFFROY'S PHASCOGALE.

Phascogale minima.

Dasyurus minimus, Geoff. Ann. du Mus. Tom 3, p. 362.
Phascogale Swainsonii, Waterh. Mag. of Nat. Hist, for June
1840, Vol. iv., p. 299.

This species is larger than the Phas. flavipes ;
its fur, instead of being, as in that species, of a

* The hinder part of the palate is mutilated.

PHASCOGALE MINIMA. 14l

yellow-grey tint, is of a dark and rich brown hue;
the under parts of the body are deep grey, slight-
ly grizzled with white, whereas in Phas. flavipes,
the under parts are yellow and white ; the most
important differences, however, consist in the more
attenuated and elongated form of the head, espe-
cially of the anterior portion ; the teeth, neverthe-
less, form an uninterrupted series, hence each tooth,
(especially the false molars,) has a proportionately
greater antero-posterior extent. The distance from
the fore part of the front incisors of the upper jaw to
the hinder part of the third true molar in Pkas.
minima, is 7^ lines, whilst in Phas. flavipes, the
same measurement gives 6f lines ; the teeth are less
powerful than in the animal last mentioned, and the
incisors of the upper jaw form an uninterrupted series,
whilst in Phas. flavipesy there is an interspace on
either side between the anterior pair of incisors and
the lateral ones. In the elongated and slender form
of the muzzle, and more delicate teeth, the present
animal evinces an approach to the Myrmecobius ; its
fur is moderately soft, rather long and glossy, of a
deep slate-colour next the skin ; the hairs are most
of them narrowly annulated towards the apex with
rich brown, or yellow-brown ; the longer hairs are
black; on the under parts of the body, the hairs
(which, like those of the upper parts, are of a deep
slate-grey at the base,) are slightly tipped with
brownish- white, or ash-colour ; the feet are covered
with dark brown hairs above (not yellow as in Phas.
flavipes ;) the tail is also dark brown, and on the

142 THE DASYURES.

upper side inclining to black ; the hairs on this part
are all short and adpressed.

There are other differences between the present
species and that with which we are comparing it,
which may help to distinguish them, I allude to the
colouring of the head. In Phas. flavipes, the upper
lip, lower part of the cheeks, chin, and throat, are
white, and there is, moreover, a white spot beneath
the eye, whereas, in Phas. minima, no white is
visible, indeed the head is almost of an uniform colour
with the body, the hairs on the sides and upper parts
are black, slightly grizzled with yellowish, and on
the chin and throat they are grey, tinted with brown-
ish, especially on the chin.

The specimen from which this description is drawn
up, is apparently a female, and furnishes the follow-
ing dimensions : — length from nose to root of tail, 5
inches 2 lines; tail, about 3 inches 5 lines; head
about 1 inch 2 lines; tarsus, to end of claws, 10
lines; it is from Van Diemen's Land.

The original of the above description is in the
Museum of Mr. Swainson, who kindly allowed me to
examine and describe it.

This species sometimes attains rather a larger size
than is indicated by the dimensions given. I have
altered the name I had applied to it, of Swainsonii
into minima, Mr. Gould, who has recently examined
the original of Geoffrey's Dasyurus minimus, having
informed me that that animal was specifically identi-
cal with the Swainsonii. Geoffrey's specimen must
be young, being only four French inches in length.

I

PHASCOGALE MURINA.

MURINE PHASCOGALE.

Phascogak murina.
PLATE X.

Phascogale murina, Waterh. Proc. Zool. Soc. for July 1837,
p. 76.

This species may be readily distinguished from the
former by its much smaller size, being in fact rather
less than the common mouse (Mus musculus,) or
less than half the bulk of P.Jlavipes. The fur is
rather short and soft ; its general hue is grey with a
faint yellowish tint, the longer hairs on the upper
parts of the body being grey at the apex, and the
shorter hairs tipped with pale yellow or cream colour;
the feet and under parts are white, as are likewise
the sides of the face beneath the eye. All the hairs
of the body are of a deep slate-colour at the base.
The tail is covered with very minute closely ad-
pressed silvery white hairs. The dentition is evidently
that of an adult animal : the canines and anterior
incisors of both upper and lower jaws appear to be
smaller in proportion than in P. flavipes.

Length from nose to root of tail, 3 inches ; tail,
2 inches 7 lines; from nose to base of ear, 8^ lines;
tarsus, (claws included) 7f lines ; ear, 4^ lines.

Habitat North of Hunter's River, New South
Wales.

1 14 MYRMECOBIID.E.

MYRMECOBIUS.

Allied to the Dasyuri, appears to be the little
animal from Swan River, on which I founded the
genus Myrmecobius. Its curious dentition is : —

Incisors, J:J; canines, \\\; false molars, |:|; true
molars, |;|=52, — a number surpassing that of any
known quadruped, unless it be certain armadillos
and cetaceans. The incisors are of a compressed
and pointed form, and have the apical portion
slightly recurved ; those of the upper jaw are separ-
ated from each other by a small vacant space ; the
space between the posterior pair on either side is
rather less than the width of the teeth ; between the
others the intervals are smaller ; the anterior pair of
incisors are rather less than the rest, and the poste-
rior pair are the largest. In the lower jaw, the
anterior pair of incisors are decidedly larger than the
rest. The canines are rather small, much compressed,
and somewhat recurved. The false molars have each
two roots ; they are much compressed, pointed and
have the apical portion slightly recurved ; near the
base in front, and behind each of these teeth there
is a notch ; in the foremost of the false molars, this
notch is indistinct; the last of the false molars, both
of upper and under jaw, is considerably smaller
than the others, and of a compressed form, that of
the upper jaw presents four minute tubercles Qf
nearly equal size and arranged in a line ; that of the
lowe- ''aw has three of these small tubercles, one of

MYRMECOBIUS FASCIATUS. 145

which is indistinct. The true molars are very small
and longer than broad ; those of the upper jaw pre-
sent numerous small black tubercles ; in the lower
jaw the outer edge of the molars is produced and
divided by notches, so as to leave three or four bristly
points in each ; on the outer side of each molar,
excepting the foremost, are several small blunt tuber-
cles, which must be nearly on a level with the gum in
the living animal ; between all the teeth both of the
upper and lower jaws, excepting the four posterior
molars of the lower jaw, there is a space which is
sometimes equal to the width of the teeth, but gene-
rally less. The ram us of the lower jaw is twisted in
I such a manner that the outer surfaces of the true
! molars come in contact with the masticating surface
I of those of the upper jaw.* The fore-feet are fur-
fnished with five toes, which are armed with strong,
| curved, and slightly compressed claws ; on the hind-
jfeet there are but four toes, — their claws scarcely
kdiffer from those of the fore-feet. The tail is bushy
and not prehensile.

BANDED MYRMECOBIUS.

Myrmecobius fasciatus.
PLATE XI.

L Myrmecobius fasciatus, Waterh. Proc. Zool. Soc. for July
1836, p. 69— see also p. 131.

I' Transactions of the Geol. Soc. Vol. II.,

part 2, p. 149, PI. 27.

Size of a squirrel ; head very long and pointed ;

* In the skull of Myrmecobius there is a large notch in the
upper boundary of the orbit, which, by some accident, is not

140 MYRMECOBIID.E.

ears moderate, much pointed ; fore-legs and claws
rather strong ; tarsi moderate ; tail about equal to
the body in length, equally bushy from base to apex ;
fur very harsh and loose, the hairs flattish. General
colour of the fore part of the body bright rusty red,
this tint is gradually shaded into rusty brown on the
head, and into black, or brown black, on the hinder
half of the back — there are about six transverse cream
coloured bands, leaving interspaces of about double
their own width ; these bands become gradually less
distinct as they approach the fore half of the back, and
are quite obliterated in front ; the sides of the face
are rusty white, the chin, throat, and the whole of
the under parts of the body are yellowish white, not
very pure ; the fore-legs are rusty yellow, and both
fore and hind-feet are of a buff colour ; the same tint
is observable on the fore part of the hind-legs ; the
hairs of the tail are black and white, or yellowish
white, they are harsh, and for the most part white
with a broad black space in the middle, but at the
apical portion of the tail the white is replaced by
rust colour at the base and yellowish at the apex ;
along the central portion of the under side of the tail
the hairs are of a brilliant rusty red colour. The
ears are tolerably well clothed with small adpressed
hairs, those on the inner side are yellowish, and
those on the back are of a brownish rust colour ;
a narrow dusky line runs through the eye, and the
hairs are directed in opposite directions from this

shewn in the figure published in the Zoological Society*!
Transactions.

MYRMECOBIUS FASCIATUS. 147

line. The hairs of the moustaches are very small
and black ; some black bristly hairs are observable
below the eye, and a few spring from above it — the
whole of the upper parts of the body are sparingly
pencilled with white. The fur on the belly is nearly
uniform to the root, and on the back a very small
space on each hair at the root is grey.

Length from nose to root of tail, 10 inches; of
tail, measured to the end of the hair, 7 inches ; tarsus
and claws, 2 inches 2 lines; fore-foot and claws, 1
inch 4 lines ; ear, 9^ lines ; width of ear at base, 7
lines ; from nose to ear, 1 inch 10 lines ; length of
skull, about 2 inches 3 lines ; width, I inch 3^ lines ;
length from front of foremost incisor to posterior part
of last molar, 1 inch 3^ lines ; space between orbits
9 lines ; width of nasal bones at the base, 6| lines ;
length about 10 J lines.

This beautiful and interesting little animal was
first discovered by Lieut. Dale, whilst on an ex-
ploring party in the interior of the country, at the
Swan River settlement, and was discovered about
90 miles to the south-east of that river. "Two of
these animals," says Lieut. Dale, " were seen within
a few miles of each other ; they were first observed
on the ground, and on being pursued, both directed
their flight to some hollow trees which were near
We succeeded in capturing one of them ; the othei
was unfortunately burnt to death in our endeavour
to dislodge it, by fumigating the hollow tree in which
it had taken refuge — the country in which they were
found, abounded in decayed trees and ant hills." A

148 MYBMECOBIID^!.

second specimen has since been brought to England,
and was placed in my hands for examination. I wat
informed this was brought from Van Diemens Land,
but Mr. Alexander Gordon, who had sent the speci-
men to England to be stuffed, has since assured me
that I was misinformed, he having himself procured
the animal at Swan River. This specimen Mr. Gordon
very liberally presented to the Zoological Society.

M. Gervais communicated a paper to the " Aca-
demie des Sciences " of Paris, (for 1838, p. 67 1,) in
which he endeavoured to show that I was mistaken
in my views as regards the affinities of Myrmecobius,
This naturalist states that the form of the ascending
ramus of the lower jaw, and the presence of two
only, instead of four palatal foramina, indicate that
this animal should be placed with the Placental series
or " Monodelphis."

M. Gervais should not have overlooked the denti-
tion ; the fact of there being more than six incisors
in the upper jaw, together with the great number of
the molar teeth (which have two roots,) was sufficient
to justify me, in the present state of our knowledge,
to regard this little Australian animal as a Marsupial.
Besides this, the angle of the lower jaw is represent-
ed in the drawing as being twisted inwards, a cha-
racter peculiar to the Marsupialia ; beyond this
character I am acquainted with none furnished by
the ascending ramus which would serve to dis-
tinguish the Placental from the Marsupial animal.
As regards the palatal foramina, I may remark, that
although the Marsupialia have generally two large

MTRMECOBIUS RUFUS. 149

openings near the palato-maxillary suture, these open-
ings are sometimes almost obliterated, as in the section
of the Petaurists, to which I have given the name
Belideus, and in the great Kangaroo, (Macropus
major) whilst, on the other hand, similar openings
are common in the Placental series ; in fact, I can
see no distinctive character between the Placental
and Marsupial animals as regards the number of
palatine openings — they vary in both groups.

Through the kindness of Mr. Gould, who allowed
me to examine two skins and a perfect skeleton of
Myrmecobius recently obtained by him from Swan
River, I am enabled to clear up all doubts as to the
marsupial nature of Myrmecobius. In a female
specimen I could distinctly trace the remains of a
pouch ; the mammae were in the ordinary position
found in the Marsupialia ; a male possessed the
peculiar characters of that group, and, moreover, the
skeleton presents well-developed Marsupial bones.
In the skull of an adult animal I find all the pecu-
liarities so ably pointed out by Professor Owen as
serving to distinguish the Marsupials. From a care-
ful examination of this skull I am more than ever
convinced that Myrmecobius leads off to the Edentate
orders — the Echidnas ; — in fact, that my origina*
views are correct.

RED MYRMECOBIUS.

Myrmeoobius rufus.

Major Mitchell gives this name to an animal din.

150 PERAMELID.E.

covered during one of his surveying expeditions in
Australia, and which was called the " Red shrew-
mouse" by the men composing his party. Not having
taken notes, the author applies the above name to
the animal with hesitation.

FAMILY PERAMELID^E.
PERAMELES.

The dentition of the species of Perameles is as
follows : —

Incisors, f:f ; canines, £J; false molars, |;|; true
molars, |:|=48. The incisors are of a compressed and
truncated form, and arranged laterally ; the posterior
incisor in the upper jaw is usually separated from the
rest, — in Perameles nasuta, the intervening space is
equal to at least three times the width of one of these
teeth, but in P. lagotis, it is scarcely equal to the
width of one of the incisors. The canines are of
moderate size, — sometimes small, — of a compressed
form and recurved at the apex. The false molars
are compressed and pointed, and have a small notch
in front and behind. The true molars are nearly of
a quadrate form, as viewed from above, but have the
exterior portion slightly broader than the inner one ;
they present five or six small but rather sharp tuber-
cles ; the posterior molar of the upper jaw, which is
smaller than the rest, is nearly of a triangular form in
P. nasuta > and almost round in P. lagotis. In the lower

THE PEBAMELES. 151

jaw the molars are longer than broad, they are divided
in the middle by a transverse notch, and present
each four principal pointed tubercles, which are of
larger size than those of the upper jaw. The fore-
feet have three well-developed toes, of which the
outer one is the smallest ; the claws are very large
and strong, solid and but slightly arched, and in fact
well suited to the burrowing habits of these animals.
Besides these toes there are two tubercles, one on the
outer, and the other on the inner side of the foot,
which are the rudiments of the remaining two toes —
they are each furnished with a minute rounded nail.
In the hind feet, which are long, there is a central
very long toe, armed with a large broad nail, which
is flat beneath, and slightly arched above ; on the
outer side of the central toe is another of moderate
size, and armed with a nail of the same description
as the last, and on the inner side of the foot there
are two slender toes, joined in a common integument
as in the Kangaroos, and furnished with a double
hollow claw ; on the under and inner side of the foot
(at least in P. nasuta^) are to be perceived the re-
mains of the inner toe, or that which asumes the
thumb-like character, in many marsupials its ex-
treme point is free, but there is no nail.* The some-
what short fore-legs and comparatively long hind-

* It is remarkable, that in almost every case in which the
inner toe of the hind -foot is developed in the Marsupialia, it
is opposable and assumes a thumb-like form. Even in the
Ornithorhynchus and Echidna, it is not on the same plane as
the other toes.

152 PERAMELID^C.

legs of the Perameles or Bandicoots, cause them to
arch the back much when walking; when they move
quickly their gait is half way between running and
jumping. In P. nasuta, obesula, and Gunnii, the tail
is very short and but sparingly clothed with hair, and
the ears are of moderate size. In P. lagotis the ears
are very large, like those of a Rabbit, and the tail is
long and furnished with long hairs especially on the
upper surface of the apical portion. This animal has
unusually long hind-legs and feet, and when standing
they are spread out arid the fore-feet placed between
them, or very slightly in advance.

The pouch in the Bandicoots opens backwards,
and in this respect is the reverse of what is found in
other Marsupalia, where the pouch opens upwards
or forwards. In one species of Perameles, (P. /a-
gotis,} however, the pouch certainly appears, from
the stuffed specimen in the Zoological Society's
Museum, to open forwards.

Dr. Grant found only the remains of insects in the
intestines of a Perameles nasuta which he dissected,
and Professor Owen obtained the same result in the
dissection of P. obesula. A specimen of P. lagotis,
now living at the Zoological Society's Menagerie, is
fed entirely on vegetable substances,* and the keeper
informed me that it refused meat, and would not eat
meal-worms when given to it at the suggestion of
Professor Owen. The extremely worn state of the
molars in a skull now before me, would appear to

* This animal is very fond of almonds — these however re-
quire to be cracked.

PERAMELES LAGOTIS. 153

indicate, that in the wild state, this animal had been
feeding upon vegetable substances.

The Perameles, as well as the Opossums (Didel-
phys,} have the stomach simple, and a moderately
long intestinum ccecum, they agree also with the true
Opossums, in having ten incisors in the upper jaw.
In general structure they furnish a beautiful link
between the last mentioned animals and the Kan-
garoo family.

BABBIT-EARED PERAMELES.

Perameles lagotis.
PLATE XII.

Perameles lagotis, Reid. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society of London, for December 1836, p. 129.

Size of a rabbit ; head very long ; muzzle much
attenuated ; ears large, nearly as long as the head ;
tail long, furnished on the upper side with long bushy
hairs ; tarsi long ; fur very long and soft. General
tint of the upper parts of head and body, ashy-grey ;
sides of head, shoulders, and sides of body very pale
vinous rust colour ; under parts of head and body,
and inner side of limbs, white ; fore-legs and feet
white, a deep greyish patch on the outer side of the
former ; tarsi white above, the hairs covering the
under surface, (which are rather long) are of a smoky
brown colour; the fore part of the hinder-legs is
white, the outer and hinder part is blackish grey, a
whitish line is extended backwards on the sides of

154 PERAMELIM1.

the rump : soft long hair, coloured like that of the
body extends about 1^ inches on the base of the
tail ; beyond this, about 3^ inches of the tail is
covered with black and somewhat harsh hairs ; on the
under side of the tail they are scarcely half an inch in
length, but on the upper side, they are most of them
upwards of 1 inch in length ; the remaining portion
of the tail is covered with white hairs ; these increase
in length, on the upper side, to the tip, where they
are about 2 inches in length; on the under side they
are short, and decrease in length towards the apex
of the tail, the extreme point of which is naked.
The moustaches are moderately long and of a black
colour. The ears are shaped much like those of a
Rabbit, (Lepus cuniculus,) but are rather more
pointed, — they are almost naked, of a pale colour ;
the margins are fringed with whitish hairs ; exter-
nally, on the fore part they are covered with minute
brown hairs ; these hairs do not extend, however, on
to the apical portion of the ear. The claws of the
fore-feet are very large.

Length from nose to root of tail, 18 inches; length
of tail, (not including the hair,) 9^ inches; from
tip of nose to ear, 4^ inches; length of ear, 3^ inches;
width of ear at the base. 2 inches 1 line ; length of

» ' C

tarsus, (claws not included,) 1 inch 10^ lines;
length of skull, 4 inches; width, 1 inch 3 lines;
length of palate, 2 inches 5 lines.*

* A specimen which had lived in the Menagerie of the Zoo-
logical Society, furnished the following dimensions immedi-

g

s

1

PERAMELES NASUTA, 165

The fifth incisor, on either side, of upper jaw is
removed from the fourth by almost half its own dia-
meter. The canines are large.

Habitat, Swan River.

LONG-NOSED PERAMELES.

Perameles nasuta.

PLATE XIII.
Perameles nasuta, Geoff. Ann. du Museum, iv., p. 62, PI. 44.

Muzzle attenuated; head long; ears moderate,
pointed ; tail short ; general hue of upper parts of
head and body, brown, pencilled with black ; of
sides of body, pale brown, with a slight vinous tint ;
edge of upper lip, chin, throat, and the whole under
parts of body, white ; the fore-legs and feet, and
the tarsi are also white. The fur is very harsh to
the touch ; the under fur on the upper parts of the
body is of a palish ash-colour ; all the longer harsh
hairs are of the same colour at the base ; the longer

« o

of these are black externally, and the remainder are
of a palish vinous brown at the apex ; on the sides
of the body the last mentioned tint prevails, owing
to there being scarcely any of the black hairs ; the
hairs on the belly are white to the root. The minute

ately after death. Length from nose to root of tail, 1 6 inches
4 lines ; tail, 9 inches 7 lines ; from tip of the nose to the
eye, 2 inches 6 lines ; from the tip of the nose to the base of
the ear, 5 inches 2 lines ; ear, 4 inches ; breadth of do., 2
inches f length of hind- feet, without the claws, 4 inches 1 line.

J56 PERAMELID^E.

hairs covering the ears internally are whitish, and on
the outer side of the ears they are dusky. The tail
is covered with minute adpressed hairs ; those on
the upper side are brown, and on the under side
they are brown-white. Hairs of moustaches not
numerous, rather short and slender.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 6 inches ; tail
(about) 4^ inches ; from tip of nose to ear, 4 inches ;
ear, 1 inch 2 lines ; tarsus, (claws not included,) 2
inches 4 lines; from front of anterior incisor to
canine, 6| lines; length of bony palate, 1 inch lOf
lines.

Four incisors, on either side of upper jaw, are
contiguous ; behind, there is another incisor situated
half way between the last of the series and the
canine.

Habitat, New South Wales.

An animal labelled, " Perameles auritus de Port
Jackson" in the Paris Museum, I feel no doubt is
the same as the present species ; its dimensions are ;
nose to root of tail, 14 inches; tail, 3 inches; tar-
sus, 1 inch 1 1 lines, (without the claws ;) ear, 7^
lines.

GUNN'S PERAMELES.
Perameles Gunnii.

PLATE XV.

Perameles Gunnii, Gray. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society for January 1838, p. 1 — See also Annals of
Natural History for April 1838, No. 2, vol. i., p. 108.

Muzzle elongated; ears rather long, and much

PEKAMELES GUNNII. 157

pointed, the posterior edge slightly emarginated ;
tail very short. The colouring of the upper parts
of the body consists of a mixture of black and yel-
low; the general tint of the sides of the body is
very pale brownish-yellow, but there are scattered
black hairs ; the under parts of the body, the lips,
and the tail, are white : a whitish band crosses the
hinder portion of the back, but is divided in the
middle of the back by a dark line which runs down
to the root of the tail ; behind the first band, and
on either side of the central line, are three oblique
whitish bands; the two hindermost, which are
situated close to the root of the tail, are almost
longitudinal in their direction, and rather indistinct ;
the spaces between the bands are about equal in
width to the bands themselves, and are of a deeper
hue than other parts, — they are in fact, black,
slightly grizzled with yellowish ; the fore part and
outer side of the fore-legs are grey ; the outer side
of the hinder-legs is also grey in the middle ; the
feet are white ; the hinder half of the tarsus is
covered beneath with blackish hairs; the ears are
covered with minute hairs, those on the inner side
are yellow-white; on the outer side they are yel-
low, excepting on the fore part, where there is a
black patch — at the base there is another blackish
patch ; the hairs on the tail are short, stiff, and
adpressed ; on the back all the hairs are grey at
the base, some are ochreous at the tip, and others
are black ; on the back the black and yellow colours
are in about equal proportions ; on the hinder half

158 PEBAMELIDJE.

of the back the black prevails, excepting on tne
fasciae ; on the sides of the body the yellowish tint
prevails.

Length from nose to root of tail, 16 inches; tail,
3 inches ; from nose to ear, 4 inches 2 lines ; ear,
1 inch 2 lines ; length of tarsus, (claws not in-
cluded,) 2 inches 8 lines.

This species inhabits Van Diemen's Land, is
closely allied to P. nasutus, but differs in having
white fasciae over the rump ; the tail is shorter, and
of a pure white colour, and the fur softer. The first
specimen was brought by Mr. Gunn, who (in a
paper in the Annals of Natural History, No. 2, vol.
ii.) has furnished an interesting account of the habits
of various animals inhabiting Van Diemen's Land.
After this gentleman the species is named.

The Perameles Gunnii is known in Van Diemen's
Land by the name of Bandicoot. Mr. Gunn states,
that they " are numerous everywhere ; they burrow
in the ground universally as far as I have seen, and
live principally on roots. T knew one gentleman's
entire collection of Cape bulbs, principally Bambia-
nece, eaten by them, and I suffered considerably
myself, having lost some entire species of bulbs
through these animals." I may observe that in the
intestines of two species of Perameles which have
been dissected in this country, (one by Dr. Grant,
and the other by Professor Owen, — at which dis-
section I was present,) nothing but insects were
found. May not these animals destroy the bulbs
to get at insects with which they are infested ? I

PERAMELES OBESULA. loi)

must confess, however, that, judging by the denti-
tion, I am inclined to believe the Bandicoots will
readily eat vegetable substances as well as insects.
The specimen, from which the plate in this work is
taken, is young, and exhibits the markings more dis-
tinctly than the adult. It was presented to the Zoo-
logical Society by G. Everett, Esq.

SHORT-NOSED PERAMELES.

Perameles obesula.

PLATE XIV.

Perameles obesula, Geoff. Ann. du Mus. iv., p. 64, PI. 45.
Didelphys obesula, Shaw, Naturalist's Miscellany, No. 96.

As regards the general form of the body, and the
colouring, this animal greatly resembles the common
rat (Mus decumanus) — in size it exceeds the largest
specimens of that animal. The ears are moderate,
pointed; the muzzle is slender and elongated, but
shorter than in the other species here described ; the
tail is short, and covered throughout with short hairs.
The covering of the animal consists of a somewhat
scanty, soft, ash-coloured under fur, which is hidden
by longer (though still shortish) sub-spinose hairs ; of
these spiny hairs the longest are black, and the short-
er, which are the most abundant, are black, broadly
tipped with pale ochre colour, often with the extreme
point black ; the black and pale colours are about
equal in proportion. The edge of the upper lip, chin,
throat, arid the whole of the under parts of body and

160 PEBAMELIDJE.

inner side of limbs, are white — not pure — and tbe
hairs are uniform throughout — not grey at the base.
Towards the base, (on the upper side,) the hairs of
the tail are grizzled with black and yellowish, and
at the apex they are black ; on the under side of the
tail they are dirty white. The ears are moderately
well clothed with short hairs, those on the inner side
are yellow, and those on the outer side black, except-
ing on the margin, where they are pale. The limbs
are coloured externally, as the sides of the body;
the feet are pale ; the hairs on the toes are dirty
white, on the upper side of the tarsus they are yel
lowish, but grey at the base ; hairs of the moustaches
weak and not numerous.

Length from nose to root of tail, 13 inches 6 lines:

O '

tail, about 4^ inches ; nose to ear, 3 inches ; ear, 8
lines ; tarsus (claws not included,) 2 inches ; from
front of anterior incisor to canine, 4j lines.

Four incisors on each side of upper jaw are con-
tiguous, behind these is another incisor, which is
small and pointed, and is situated about half a line
distant from the last of the series.

Habitat New South Wales and Van Diemen's
Land.

The little animal which is the original both of
Shaw's and Geoffroy Saint-Hillaire's descriptions, is
now preserved in the Museum of the College of
Surgeons. Professor Owen very kindly called my
attention to it, and has thus enabled me to clear up
the difficulty which I experienced in my endeavours
to identify the species. It is a very yoang animal,

PERAMELES DOREYANUS. 161

and I feel no doubt is specifically the same as the
one above described.

NEW GUINEA PERAMELES.

Perameles Doreyanus*

Peiameles Doreyanus, Quoy et Gaimard. Voyage de D£cou-
vertes de P Astrolabe. Zoologie, Tom. i., p. 100, PI. 16.

In this species the head is conical, the muzzle is
long and tolerably thick ; the eye is small and the
pupil is linear and in the direction of the muzzle ;
the ears are large and somewhat rounded ; the limbs
are short and stout ; the outer and inner toes of the
fore-feet are clawless. All the claws are strong,
short, slightly arched, and rounded above and be-
neath. The fur is harsh, of a rusty-brown colour
on the upper parts of the body — a tint produced by
the admixture of blackish-brown harsh hairs, with
others of a finer quality and golden rust colour ; the
sides of the body are of a paler hue, and the under
parts and inner side of the limbs are of a pale yellow-
ish tint. The ears are yellowish, and destitute of
hair excepting on the anterior margin. The toes of
the hinder- feet are covered with pale yellowish-
brown hairs. The tail is short, and but sparingly
furnished with short harsh hairs.

Total length, 1 9 inches 7 lines ; tail, 3 inches 5
lines ; head, 4 inches 4 lines ; ears, 1 inch 1 line ;
anterior limbs about 3 inches 3 lines ; posterior
member, about 5f inches.

162 PERAMELID^E.

This animal was procured by M. M. Quoy and
Gaimard at Dory harbour, New Guinea. Its den-
tition is said to be. Incisors, §; canines, -j-l-J ; molars
^:|=46j in whicb case it bas two incisors less in the
upper jaw than the other species of Perameles.

The authors just mentioned, moreover state, that
it most nearly resembles the Perameles nasuta, but
the forehead is less broad, and the nasal bones are
less prolonged on to the frontals ; the incisors are
shorter, and directed backwards,,

I did not see this species in the Paris Museum.

BOUGAINVILLE'S PERAMELES.

Perameles Bougainvillii, Quoy et Gaimard. Zoologie, du voy.
de rUranie, p. 56, PI. 5.

Muzzle attenuated ; eyes tolerably large ; ears
ovate, one inch long ; fur moderately harsh, that on
the upper parts of the body of a rusty tint, and on
the under parts and inner side of the limbs, rusty
grey. The tail is rusty brown above, and greyish
beneath : the claws are yellowish.

From nose to root of tail, 6^ inches ; head, 1
inch 10^ lines; tail, 2 inches 8 lines; fore-legs, 1
inch 5 lines ; posterior limbs, 2 inches 8 lines.

The small size of this animal, and its having the
teeth but little developed, caused M. M. Quoy and
Gaimard to suspect that it might be young, they say
however, they saw many specimens, and they were

PERAMELES BOUGAINVILLII. 163

all of the same size. It was obtained in the pen-
insula in Shark's Bay.

A specimen in the Paris Museum, with the name
" Perameles Bougainvillii" attached, I found in such
bad condition that I could not well ascertain its
characters; but, after comparing the three specimens
together, contained in this Museum, it appeared to me
they were all of one species, though bearing the three
names, P. nasuta, P. aurita, and P. Bougainvillii,

SIDE VIEW or THE TEETH OF A SPECIES OF Pframeles.

Closely allied, no doubt, to Perameles is the
CHOEROPUS ECAUDATUS

described by Mr. Ogilby from a drawing made by
Major Mitchell.

" The drawing of the foot very closely resembles
that of the genus Sus in form and characters ; two
toes only are represented, short, and of equal length;
but there is a swelling at the base of the first phalan-
ges, which renders it probable that there1 may be two

164 PEEAMELID^S.

smaller ones behind. The Perameles, on the con-
trary, have three middle toes on the fore-feet, all of
equal length, and armed with very long powerful
claws, hesides a small rudimentary toe very distinctly
marked on each side. The form and character of the
hind-feet were perfectly similar to those of the Pe-
rameles, as were also the teeth, as far as could he
judged from the drawing, except that the canines did
not appear to surpass the anterior molars in point of
size. The ears were long, elliptical, and nearty naked;
the head broad between the ears, and very much
attenuated towards the muzzle ; the body about the
size of a small rabbit, and the fur very much of the
same quality and colour as in that animal." Mr.
Ogilby, after expressing his confidence in the fidelity
of Major Mitchell* s drawings, and the care with
which that gentleman assured him he had made the
observation in question, expressed his belief that
this animal would be found to constitute a new genus
of Marsupials, and proposed for it the provisional
name of Ckceropus, in allusion to the decided charac-
ters of the fore-feet.

The following is the notice of this animal inser-
ted by Major Mitchell in his journal, on the occasion
of first discovering it. " June 16, 1836. The most
remarkable incident of this day's journey was the
discovery of an animal of which I had seen only a
head in a fossil state in the limestone caves of Wel-
lington Valley, where, from its very singular form, I
supposed it to belong to some extinct species. The
chief peculiarity then observed was the broad head

CH<EROPUS ECAUDATUS. 165

and very long, slender snout, which resembled the
narrow neck of a wide bottle; but in the living
animal the absence of a tail was still more remark-
able. The feet, and especially the fore-legs, were
also singularly formed, the latter resembling those of
a pig ; and the marsupial opening was downwards,
and not upwards, as in the Kangaroo and others of
that class of animals. This quadruped was disco-
vered by the natives on the ground ; but on being
chased it took refuge in a hollow tree, from which
they took it alive, all of them declaring that they had
never before seen an animal of the kind. This was
where the party had commenced the journey up the
left bank of the Murray, immediately after crossing
that river/'*

The specimen was presented to the Museum at
Sydney.

THE KANGAROOS.
MACROPODID^E.

These animals are remarkable for the flexibility
and lightness of the anterior parts of the body, the
smallness of the anterior members, and the great size
of the posterior extremities, and of the tail. In their
ordinary position the fore parts are elevated and slight-
ly inclined forwards, and they rest upon the hinder

* Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, for
March 1838.

166 THE KANGAROOS.

extremities and tail, hence the whole weight and
strength is thrown into these parts : the great length
and size of the tail also serves to balance the body,
not only when in its ordinary semi -erect position, but
in the enormous leaps by which these animals pro-
gress. The fore part of the body being elevated,
gives to the eye a wide range, which is essential to
animals, inhabiting for the most part open plains,*
and whose escape from danger must be by flight.
The prehensile and unguiculate structure of the
anterior extremities " appear to have been indis-
pensable to animals requiring to perform various
manipulations in relation to the economy of the
Marsupial pouch, and when such an animal is des-
tined, like the Ruminant, to range the wilderness
in quest of pasturage, the requisite powers of the
anterior members are retained and secured to it by
an enormous development of the hinder extremities,
to which the junction of locomotion is almost restrict-
ed/' t

On the fore-feet there are five well-developed toes
each of which is armed with a large and strong nail
and this is curved, concave on the under surface and
convex above; the two outer toes are the shortest
and the central one is the longest. The hind-feet are
furnished with one very large central toe, and an
outer one, which is shorter and smaller, but, like the

* The small species are most frequently found in thickets,
and it would appear, nearly resemble the hares in their habits.

•j- Professor Owen on the Osteology of the Maisupialia —
Proceedings of the Zoological Society for October 1838, p. 140.

MACROPODID^:. 167

first, armed with a large solid nail which is hut
slightly curved, convex, and sometimes keeled on
the upper surface, and flat beneath : on the inner
side of the foot are two small slender toes, united
in one common integument, and having the appear-
ance of a single toe — the nails however are separate,
of small size, and hollow beneath ; these nails I have
repeatedly seen used by the animal to cleanse its fur.
The tarsus is devoid of hair beneath, but covered
with minute hardened tubercles — -these are most dis-
tinct in those species which inhabit rocky situations.
The ears are usually of moderate size, oval form, and
tolerably well clothed with hair.

The dental formula in the genus Macropus is as
follows : —

Incisors, f ; canines, g:g ; false molars, \'.\ ; true
molars, |:|=28. Such is the number of teeth gene-
rally found in the species of this genus, but in some
species (M. giganteus, M. rufo-griseus, M. ruficollis,
and M. fuliginosus,) the anterior or false molar, we
are informed by M. F. Cuvier,* is wanting. In a
skull of M. giganteus now before me, and which be-
longed to an animal not quite adult, the number of
molars visible is f ;| ; a second skull, belonging to an
adult animal has f ;f molars, as described by M. F.
Cuvier. In the first mentioned of these two skulls,
the last molar on each side of each jaw, though
visible, had not penetrated the gum, and had the
animal lived a little longer the following changes

• " Des Dents des Mammiferes," p. 135 and p. 137.

1G8 THE KANGAROOS.

would have taken place : on the side of the upper
iaw in which there exists six molars, the two fore-
most would have been thrust out by a false molar,
which is in an advanced state of development be-
neath them ; on the opposite side of the upper jaw,
hut one tooth would have been displaced, the other
having already fallen. Now, as the permanent, or true
molars, are successively developed one behind the
other, the new teeth thrust forward those which
precede them, and the foremost of the series, owing
to the pressure from behind, begins to decay, or to
be absorbed at the root and soon falls away from the
socket. Professor Owen examined a skull of a very
old M. major in which there were only two molars
on each side of each jaw, showing that this vis a tergo
does not stop even when the animal has attained ma-
turity. In the skulls of five or six other species of
Kangaroo which have come under my notice, I in-
variably found the number of teeth as stated at the
commencementof this account of the dental formula.*

* Having ascertained the number of true molars in the Kan-
garoos, there is no difficulty in tracing the analogous teeth
throughout the remaining groups of Marsupials, and the result
is, that they have the same number, viz., four true molars,
whilst in the other orders of Mammals the highest number is
three — at least I have only found a few apparent exceptions,
nnd these exist in groups, the dentition of which I have not

yet had an opportunity of studying in two or three of the

genera of Insectivora, there appears to be more than three true
molars : it must be borne in mind, however, that the false
molars often assume the common form of true molars, and
vice versa ; hence from a mere inspection of a skull it is often
impossible to distinguish their teeth.

MACROPODIDvE. 169

I have thought it desirable to enter into these
particulars as regards the number of the teeth in the
Kangaroos, since M. F. Cuvier has founded two
genera upon the difference in the number of the
molars in certain species, — to those which have only
four molars, and in which the tip of the muzzle is
covered with hair, (having only a narrow naked
space around the nostrils) he restricts the generic
title Macropus, and places in this genus the M.
giganteus M.fuliginosus, M. rufaollis, and M. rufo-
griseus. Those species which have the tip of the
muzzle naked, the tail sparingly clothed with hair,*
and four true molars and one false molar on either
side of each jaw, are thrown together by the same
author under the generic title Halmaturus, a name
which had originally been applied by Illiger, to all

To assist the beginner in the study of Mammalia, I may
mention that,asa general rule, the false molars of both jaws are
furnished with one, or most commonly, two roots, the hinder-
most false molar (or that which in the Carnivora is termed the
carnassie.r^) in the upper jaw, has three roots, and so have the
true molars of the upper jaw ; but in the under jaw the
carnassier and true molars have but two roots.

My attention was first drawn to the fact that there exists a
difference between the Marsupiata and the Placental Mam-
malia as regards the number of true molars, upon comparing
the skull of the Thylacinus with that of the Dog and allied
animals, and I believe at that time no such difference had
been pointed out.

* This character is certainly not connected with the other
peculiarities mentioned ; on the contrary, it is in the group
with the naked muzzle and five molars, that we find the tail
often much more densely clothed than in M. F. Cuvier's
genus, Mazropus.

170 THE KANGAROOS.

the Kangaroos, and was therefore synonymous with
the older title, Macropus of Shaw.

The foremost pair of incisors of the upper jaw, in
the true Kangaroos, are arched in front, concave he-
hind and broadest and truncated at the apex, and
the remaining incisors of the upper jaw are broad
and compressed. In M. major (and perhaps some
other nearly allied species) the middle incisors on
each side of the upper jaw is narrower than the
others, and has a vertical groove in the outer side ;
the posterior incisor is very broad, being equal in
width to the two anterior incisors taken together, and
has two vertical external grooves, — but in most of
the species of Kangaroos the second incisor on each
side has no external groove, and the hindermost one
has but one of these grooves. The second incisor is
always the narrowest, and the hinder one varies in
width according to the species. The incisors of the
lower jaw are very large, horizontal in their direc-
tion, long, compressed and pointed like a lancet, they
are slightly broader near the middle than elsewhere,
and present each two sharp cutting edges.* The

* That the inner edges of these teeth should be sharp is re-
markable, and the use of this peculiar structure is not evident.
I recollect to have read in the work of one of our voyagers,
that the great Kangaroo has the power of separating these
teeth, and certainly the structure of the lower jaw would seem
to permit such a movement ; the symphysis menti in these
animals is peculiar, the two rami of the lower jaw meet far
back and do not appear to have been strongly attached at the
symphysis, but, what is most remarkable, they diverge again
at the apex. In the skull of a Kangaroo before me, I find

MACROPODIOS:.

canines although almost always wanting in the true
Kangaroos, are sometimes present, though in a rudi-
mentary state. Professor Owen observes, that he has
found canines in the M. rufiventer, but of a very
small size and concealed in the gum, and he has
traced the germs of these teeth in a mammary foetus
of the M. major.

Between the incisors and molars there is a vacant
space of considerable extent. The false molars are
compressed and furnished with a sharp cutting edge,
those of the upper jaw have a small posterior inner
lobe. The crowns of the true molars are nearly of a
square form, but rather longer than broad, and before
worn down by usage, they present two transverse
acute ridges, which are connected by a longitudinal
ridge in the middle of the tooth, — this ridge is less
elevated than the transverse ridges.

SIDE TIEW OF THE TEETH OF UPPER AND LOWER J4W
OF A 8*»ECrES OF WAOROPUS.

that by slightly contracting the space between the posterior
portion of the rami of the lower jaw, the external cutting edges
of the incisors are thus brought in contact with the cutting
edges of the incisors on both sides of the upper jaw at the
same time, and that such a contact could not be produced
unless the lower incisors were thus separated.

172 THE KANGAROOS.

The Hypsiprymni, or Potoroos, and Kangaroo-rats
as they are termed, differ chiefly from the true Kan-
garoos, in possessing distinct canines ; the foremost
pair of incisors, in the upper jaw, are larger and con-
siderably longer than the others, which are propor-
tionately smaller than in the Kangaroos, and have no
external grooves ; the incisors of the lower jaw are
narrower and not dilated in the middle, but gradually
increase in width from the point towards the base.
The canines are rather small, compressed, and but
slightly pointed. The false molars are proportionately
larger than in the Kangaroos, and generally have
numerous distinct vertical grooves both on the outer
and inner side. The true molars before worn, present
each four blunt tubercles : the foremost of these
molars is the largest, and the hindermost the small-
est. This decrease in the size of the posterior molars
I have never observed in any of the true Kangaroos.
The skull is less suddenly contracted in front of the
orbits, and broader between the orbits. The toes of
the fore-feet are less evenly developed, and the claws
are longer and fitted for burrowing. The anterior
extremities are in general proportionately longer, the
hinder limbs, as well as the tail, are less powerful,
and the toes and claws are less robust.

Hilt ^ AH1» FORE-FOOT OF A SPECIJES HIND ANJD-FORE FOOT OF A SPSCIBS

oy Macropus. Hypsiprymnu*.

174 THE KANGAROOS

As presenting the most perfect dentition I will
begin with the genus

JHYPSIPRYMNUS.

Section 1. — Hypsiprymni with the head consider-
ably elongated and narrow, the ears small and round-
ed, the muffle * naked not only in front, but with
the hairless portion considerably extended on the
upper surface of the muzzle ; tail covered with scales
like that of a rat, and with short stiff hairs springing
from between them, — these being not sufficiently
numerous to hide the scales. Canine tooth mode-
rately developed, and separated from the incisors by
a considerable interval. In the two species described
in this work, the space between the canine and the
incisors is about equal to the width of the two pos-
terior incisors taken together; tarsi short; fore-limbs
rather strong ; the true molars are proportionately
narrower in the species of this, than in those of the
next section, and the foremost compressed molar,
(which is the analogue of the carnassier) is less
distinctly fluted, or grooved, externally.

To this section belongs the Hypsiprymnus murinus,
the animal which Illiger gives as the type of his genus
Hypsiprymnus. Mr. Gray restricts the name to this
section.

* The extreme point of the muzzle, which in Quadrupeds
is generally naked, as in the Dog.

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(( UNIVERSITY

HYPSIPRYMNUS MURINUS. 175

RAT-TAILED HYPSIPRYMNUS.

llypsiprymnus murinus.
PLATE XVI.

Hypsipryranus murinus, Pander and D' Alton. Skelete der

Bentelthiere, PI. 3.
Macropus minor, Shaw. Gen. Zool. Vol. I., PI. 2, p. 513, PI.

116.
Poto-Roo or Kangaroo-Rat, White. Journal of a Voy. to Bot.

Bay, Append, p. 277.
Hypsiprymnus setosus, Ogilby. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1831, p. 149.

myosurus ? Ogilby. Proc. Zool. Soc. 1 838^ p. 62.

Peronii, H. Peron. Quoy et Gaim. Zool. de

la Cog. p. 64.
Bettong of the Natives of New South Wales — Mus. Linn. Soc.

Head elongated; ears rather short and rounded;
fore-legs strong; tarsi short; tail about equal to the
hody in length, exhibiting scales, being but sparingly
clothed with short decumbent hairs, which (^except-
ing at the base, and also at the extreme point) are
of a black colour on the upper part and sides; on
the under side they are brownish, and at the tip there
are a few dirty white hairs. General colour of the
fur brown, on the back blackish, pencilled with brown-
ish white; lips, chin, throat, and the whole of the
under parts of the body dirty white; the inner side
of the limbs and the fore-part of the hind-legs are also
dirty white; the fore-feet are brown, and the tarsi
are dusky brown above : ears short and rounded,
moderately well clothed with hairs; those on the

176 THE KANGAROOS.

inner side very pale brown, inclining to white ; those
on the outer side (which are long) are grey grizzled
with whitish ; on the fore part most of them are
blackish at the apex.

The fur is long and moderately soft ; that on the
back is grey next the skin ; the shorter hairs are
of a very pale brownish yellow externally, and at the
extreme point dusky; the longer hairs, which are
somewhat harsh, are for the most part broadly annu-
lated with yellowish- white towards the apex, and
black at the apex, — some are totally black excep-
ting at the base, — the fur on the belly is grey next
the skin.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 5 inches ; tail,
10^ inches; nose to ear, 3 inches 8 lines; ear, 1
inch 2 lines ; tarsus, (claws not included) 3 inches
2 lines.

This species inhabits New South Wales, where it
appears to be common, and where specimens have
been sent to the Linnaean Society under the native
name of f{ Bettong."

The Kangaroo-rats, or Hypsiprymni, like the
Kangaroos, progress on the hind legs, arid are vege-
table feeders — of their habits but little is known,
but from their small size, and more restricted powers
of locomotion, compared with the large Kangaroos, I
should imagine, they more generally frequent the less
open districts, where, from the presence of scrubs or
underwood, and long grass, they may readily find an
asylum in cases of danger. As indicated by their
possessing long and powerful fore claws, Mr. Gould

HYPSIPEYMNUS MURINUS. 177

informs me, they are always scratching the ground,
and feed much upon roots — that they are very de-
structive to the potato crops, and are most readily
caught by bating traps with this vegetable.

The first known species of Hypsiprymnus, was
described by Hunter, in the Appendix to White's
Journal, where a somewhat rude figure of the animal
is given — this figure and description are reproduced
in Shaw's Zoology, where the animal receives the
technical name Macropus minor. — A second species
of Hypsiprymnus was subsequently discovered by
the French Voyagers, and as the description of the
first was not given in sufficient detail, this second
species was imagined to be identical with the first,
and was I believe always referred to as the Poto-
Roo, or Kangaroo-rat of White's Journal — it how-
ever received several new names.

Recently the list of species of Hypsiprymnus has
been greatly extended, and as several of these new
species were brought from the same locality as the
one first described, the difficulty of determining which
of them was the Poto-Roo was increased. Upon
inquiring however, of Professor Owen, I learnt that
the skull of White's animal was still in existence,
and that gentleman (from whom I always receive
the most cordial assistance in my labours,) not only
allowed me an inspection of the skull, but further
helped me with the loan of a drawing, by means of
which, aided by Mr. Gould, who removed the skulls
from several of the species in his collection for the
purpose, we discovered the true Poto-Roo to be the
M

178 THE KANGAROOS.

animal here described, and, by further investigations,
we also came to the conclusion that it has received
at different times, all the several names which pre-
cede the present description.

A drawing of the skull of H. Peronii, which Mr.
Owen had made from the original specimen, con-
tained in the Paris Museum, is now before me^ and
I find to agree perfectly both with the skull of the
Poto-Roo, and with that figured by Pander and
Dalton, as the Hypsiprymnus murinus of Illiger.
Now Illiger gives as the type of his genus Hypsi-
prymnus, the H. murinus, and in his definition men-
tions as a character " cauda mediocris, squamata" a
character which is only found in one other species
of Hypsiprymnus — a species brought by Mr. Gould
from a part of Australia which is but little frequented,
viz. King George's Sound.

The description given by Mr. Ogilby of his H.
setosus, agrees with the present animal, and that
author says that the H. setosus, " is known in the
colony of New South Wales by the native name of
Bettong Kangaroo." This name, I have before obser-
ved, is attached to specimens of the present animal in
the Museum of the Linneean Society.

The H. myosurus of Mr. Ogilby also agrees with
the present species in every particular, excepting
that the skull is rather larger, a difference which Mr.
Gould suggests is probably sexual, the males of all
the Kangaroos being larger than the females. The
original of Mr. Ogilby's description of H. myosurus,
is a male ; the Poto-Roo of White was a female, and

HYPSIPRYMNUS MURINUS. 179

a skull, now before me, agreeing in size with the
dimensions given below, is also from a female animal.

The dimensions of the skull of the Poto-Roo are
as follows : —

Total length, 3 inches 1^ lines; width, 1 inch 7
lines ; from front of anterior incisor to first molar, 10
lines ; from do. to hinder part of last molar, 1 inch
8| lines ; width between orbits, 8 lines.
. In Van Diemen's Land is a species of Kangaroo-
Rat, which appears to me to be identical with the
animal above described, and if it be, the following
dimensions, furnished by the skull of one of these
animals, would indicate the specimen to have been
a male — that is, presuming the conjecture of the
sexual difference of size to be correct.

Length, 3 inches 3 lines; width, 1 inch 9f lines;
from front of anterior incisor to first molar, 1 1
lines ; longitudinal extent of molars on each side
of the upper jaw, 10 J lines.

Shaw was acquainted with only two species of
Macropodidce, the great Kangaroo, (Macropus gigan-
teus) and the present species of Kangaroo-Rat, the
name Macropus minor given to this small animal,
since the discovery of numerous Kangaroo-Rats,
(some of which are smaller than the Poto-Roo,)
has become peculiarly inappropriate, I have thought
it desirable, therefore, to choose the next oldest name
I can find applied to it.

ISO THE KANGAROOS.

SMALL-FOOTED HYPSIPRYMNU&

Hypsiprymnus Gilbertii.
Hypsiprymnus micropus, Gould's MSS.

This species closely resembles the H. murinus,
but the head is proportionately smaller, and so are
the fore and hind-feet, and the tail is shorter. The
fur is rather more harsh and more distinctly pencilled
with whitish ; all the hairs of the under fur on the
back are slate grey at the base, and rusty brown
externally ; the harsher hairs, which are abundant,
have the basal half slate grey, and the remaining
portion white, slightly tinted with rust colour,
and, at the point, they are black; besides these, there
are some interspersed longer hairs which are entirely
black, excepting at the root : the fur on the belly is
pale grey next the skin, and dirty white externally ;
fore and hind-feet brown ; greyish above, excepting
on the toes ; ears densely clothed with brown hairs ;
blackish at the margin,

Length from nose to root of tail, 15^ inches; tail,
about 7 inches ; tarsus, 2 inches 7 lines ; nose to
ear, 3 inches 2 lines ; ear, 1 inch 1 line.

Inhabits King George's Sound. — From the collec-
tion of Mr. (iould.

The skull of this species has the same elongated
narrow form as that of the H. murinus, with which
it very nearly agrees in size, but is remarkable for
convexity of the outer surface of the superior maxil-

HYPSIPRYMNUS WHITEI. 181

lary bones, which gives to the muzzle an inflated
appearance. In H. murinus the width of the muzzle
at half an inch from the tip of the nasal bone is 5^
lines, whilst the same part measures in H. micropus,
6 J lines. The molar teeth of H. murinus are longer
than broad, whilst in H. micropus their length and
width are equal, the length of the five molars on
each side of the upper jaw in H. micropus is 9
lines ; those in H. murinus measure rather more
than 1 1 lines. Length of skull of H. micropus, 3-J
inches ; width, 1 inch 6^ lines.

Section 2. — Hypsiprymni with comparatively short
and broad skulls ; canines placed near the incisors ;
the space between them usually about equal in width
to one of these teeth ; foremost compressed molar
with numerous distinct vertical grooves ; true molars
square, or very nearly so ; tarsi tolerably long, tail
also tolerably long and well clothed with hairs. To
this Section Mr. Gray applies the name BETTONGIA.

WHITE'S HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypsiprymnus Whitei.

Hypsiprymnus White, Qitoy and Gaimard.
Kangurus Gaimardii, Desmarest. Mammal. Suppl.
Hypsiprymnus Phillippi, Ogilby. Proceedings of the Zoolo-
gical Society for May 1838, p. 62.

This species is about the size of a rabbit ; the tail
is long, and the tarsi are long and slender ; ears of
moderate size and rounded form ; fur long and mode-

182 THE KANGAROOS.

rately soft ; general tint grey-brown, slightly washed
with yellow; under parts grey- white, very faintly
tinted with yellow ; feet very pale brown ; ears well
clothed with fur externally, of the same colour as
that of the head, and internally with yellow hairs :
tail furnished above with moderately long, and some-
what adpressed, rich brown hairs ; beneath, with
hairs of a pale brown colour ; a crest of long dark
brown (sometimes blackish) hairs, runs along the
upper surface of the apical portion of the tail, occupy-
ing about one-third of its entire length ; at the point
is a tuft of long white hairs. The fur on the upper
parts of the body is deep grey at the base and dusky
at the point ; the longer interspersed hairs have the
exposed portion of a black colour ; the hairs com-
posing the fur are wavey.

Length from nose to root of tail, lf> inches; tail,
13 inches ; tarsus, (the nails not included,) 4 inches
3 lines ; ear, 1 inch 2 lines.

The above description is from specimens in the
Museum of the Linneean Society, which are also the
originals of Mr. Ogilby's description of H. Phillippi.

The dimensions of a skull of a similar animal in
the collection of Mr. Gould, are as follows : — Length,
3 inches; width, 1 inch 8 lines ; foremost molar,
upper jaw, 4 lines — the anterior pair of incisors are
much compressed and curved. Of this species I
have examined several specimens — they all possessed
the tuft of white hairs at the tip of the tail.

This species agrees with the Hypsiprymnm con-
tained in the Paris Museum, which is the original of the

sf

•:,*

HYPSIPBYMNUS PENICILLATUS. 183

Kangurus Gaimardii of Desmarest, and the Hypsi-
prymnus White of Quoy and Gaimard. A drawing
of the skull of this animal, lent me by Professor Owen,
together with a careful description, taken from the
specimen by myself, leave no doubt on my mind of
the accuracy of the above conclusion ; the dimensions
of the Paris specimen are as follows : — from nose to
root of tail, 13^ inches; tail, 13 inches; tarsus, to
base of claws, 4 inches 1 line ; ear, 1 kich ; from
nose to ear, 2 inches 9^ lines. From a careful ex-
amination of the H. formosus of Mr. Ogilby (Proc.
Zool. Soc. for May 1838, p. 62,) I feel convinced
that it is the young of the present species. In the
College of Surgeons is a similar specimen, the skull
of which exhibits all the usual characters of a young
animal. The H. formosus is 1 1 inches in length,
without including the tail, which measures 1 0 inches
— its colouring is somewhat richer, there being a
greater admixture of yellow in the tint of the fur.

H. Whitei appears to be tolerably common in New
South Wales.

BRUSHED-TAILED HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypsiprymnus penicillatut.
PLATE XVI.

Bettongia penicillata, Gray. Magazine of Natural History,

Vol I. No. 2, New Series, p. 584.
Hypsiprymnus murinus, Ogilby. Proceeding of the Zoological

Society for May 1838, p. 63.

Head short; ears short and rounded; fore-legs

1 84 THE KANGAROOS.

small ; tarsi rather long ; tail nearly as long as the
head and hody, (the latter heing measured in a straight
line ;) fur long and tolerably soft — General colour of
the upper parts of the head and body palish brown,
but pencilled with white : on the cheeks and sides of
the body a faint yellowish tint (or cream colour) is
observable; under parts of the body dirty white; fore
legs pale : the hairs covering the tarsi above are whit-
ish externally, and dusky at the root ; over the toes
they are pale brown. The ears are well clothed with
hairs, those on the inner side yellowish, towards the
margin bright rust colour ; those on the outer side
grey at the base and pale at the apex. Tail well
clothed ; the hairs on the under side brown-white,
towards and at the apex they are darker ; on the
upper side the hairs are dusky at the root and pale
externally ; about three inches from the apex of the
tail, and from thence to the tip they are long and of
a black colour, and form a tuft.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 4 inches ; tail,
10^ inches, without including the hair ; tarsus, 4
inches 1 line ; from nose to base of ear 3 inches ;
ear, 9^ lines.

This species nearly resembles the H. cuniculus,
but may be distinguished by its smaller size, shorter
head ; the lower incisors are longer than in that
species, and the ears are shorter : the tail is more
distinctly tufted, and the tuft is brownish-black, and
not brown.

The above account is drawn up from the original
both of Mr. Gray's and Mr. Ogilby's descriptions.

HYPSIPRYMNUS OGILBYI. 185

The specimen is in the Museum of the Zoological
Society.

The Hypsiprymnuspenicittatus, Mr. Gould informs
me, is common throughout the Colony of New South
Wales, and is also found at Adelaide.

OGILBYI HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypsiprymnus Ogilbyi.
Bettongia Ogilbyi, Gould MS.

Less than a rabbit ; tail moderately long ; fur
dense, the under fur very abundant, soft, long and
woolly ; general colour brown, (not dark,) obscurely
washed with yellow on the sides of the face and
body ; the whole of the under parts of the body
dirty yellowish white ; ears rather short and round-
ed, clothed with yellow hairs ; hind-feet brown, dark-
est on the sides, especially of the toes ; fore-feet
palish brown. Tail well clothed; a very small space
at the base covered with fur like that of the body;
beyond this, and extending to about the middle of
the tail, the hairs are of a rusty hue on the upper
side, and very pale brown on the under; the apical
half of the tail is clothed with black hairs, which
vary from rather more than half, to three quarters of
an inch in length — those nearest the tip are the long-
est ; on the sides of the tail the hairs are comparative-
ly short, and excepting at the tip they are chiefly of a
deep brown colour; on the under side of the apical
half of the tail the hairs are longer than on the sides.

186 THE KANGAROOS.

and are of a black colour. The ordinary hairs of the
back are rather broadly annulated with pale rusty
yellow — sometimes rusty white, and at the point
they are blackish-brown ; the longer interspersed
hairs are black. The fur both on upper and under
parts of the body is grey at the base.

Length from nose to tail, 13 inches; tail, 10|
inches ; tarsus, 3 inches 11^ lines ; ear, 1 1 lines ;
nose to ear, 2 inches 8 lines.

Inhabits Western Australia in the neighbourhood
of Swan River.

This species is very closely allied to H. penicillatus,
but its tarsi are proportionately rather longer and
more slender, and differ in being of a deeper hue ;
the ears are longer, and the apical half of the tail is
black both above and below. In H. penicillata the
black hair is confined to the upper surface of the tail,
on the under part longish brown adpressed hairs ex-
tend to the tip, this under part is, moreover, much
more densely clothed than in the present species, in
which the hairs are not sufficiently numerous to hide
the scales — this does not arise from the wearing away
of the hair, as is often the case, for the under side of
the tail is better covered than the sides.

RABBIT-LIKE HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypsiprymnus cuniculus.

Hypsiprymnus cuniculus, Ogilly. Proceedings of the Zoologi-
cal Society for May 1838, p. 63.

Head somewhat elongated ; ears moderate, round-

HYPSIPRYMNUS CUNICULUS. 1 8?

ed ; fore-legs weak ; tarsi long ; tail rather longer
than the body ; fur rather long and not very soft to
the touch ; general colour brown-grey, pencilled
with white ; under parts of body dirty white ; feet
brown- white; tail well clothed with hairs, pale-
brownish ; towards and at the tip dark brown, the
hairs longer on this part ; ears covered with hairs
externally like those of head, those on the margin
slightly tinted with yellowish ; on the inner side of
the ears the hairs are nearly white, but faintly tinted
with yellowish. Fur both on upper and under parts
of body grey at the base ; the longer hairs on the
back are white towards the apex, the white occupy-
ing a considerable space, and brown-black at the
apex.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 7^ inches ; tail,
13 inches; nose to ear, 3 inches 2 lines; ear, 1 inch
2 lines; tarsus, (claws not included) 4 inches 7 lines.

Inhabits New South Wales.

This species is intermediate in size, between H.
rufescens and H. penicillatus ; from the former it is
easily distinguished by the ears being pale externally,
and not black, the hairs covering the tarsus being
very pale, instead of brown, and by the tail being
dark brown near and at the apex. In the H.
rufescens the tail is of a very pale colour through-
out, and has a considerable portion at the apex,
which is almost white. Compared with H. peni-
cillatus the present species differs in being consider-
ably larger, in not having the hairs at the tip of the
tail so decidedly longer than those on the other parts ;

188 THE KANGAROOS.

there is not, therefore, so distinct a tuft ; these hairs
are brown, and not black, and the dark hairs are
nearly confined to the tip of the tail, whereas in H.
penicillatus they extend a considerable distance
along the upper surface ; the ears are rather larger
and the head is longer ; the lower front incisors are
much shorter and stouter, the upper front incisors
are much stouter; the distance between the fore part,
of the anterior incisors, (upper jaw) and the hinder
part of the canines is 6^ lines ; the space betweer.
the canine and posterior incisor is about 1 line. In
H. penicillatus there is not more than half a line
between the canine and incisors, and the distance
between the anterior of front incisor and hinder part
of canine, is a trifle more than 5 lines; from fore part
of front incisor, upper jaw, to the first molar, 10
lines. The specimen apparently is a male, and is
contained in the Museum of the Zoological Society.

RUSTY HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypsiprymnus rufescens.

Bettongia rufescens, Gray. Magazine of Natural History for
November 1837, p. 584.

Hypsiprymnus melanotis, Ogilby. Proceedings of the Zoolo-
gical Society for May 1838, p. 62.

Head moderate; ears moderate, (larger than in the
other species here described,) and somewhat pointed;
fore-legs very small; tarsi long; tail long; fur rather
long and soft, colour on the back rusty-red, pencilled
with white; on the head and sides of the body, grey-

HYPSIPEYMNUS RUFESCENS. 1 80

ish. pencilled with white, the white prevailing; chin,
throat and the whole of the under parts of the hody
dirty white ; the fore-legs and feet, and the inner
side of the hind-legs dirty white; tarsi hrown, some-
what grizzled with dirty white ; tail tolerahly well
clothed with hairs ; those on the under side and
ahout 3 or 4 inches of the apical portion are uniform
dirty white ; on the remaining portion they are
hrownish-white, dusky at the tip and also at the
base, the dark colour most evident towards the base
of the tail. The ears are densely clothed with longish
hairs ; on the inner side they are fringed with bright
gold coloured hairs, and the very long hairs which
cover the back of the ears are of a greyish-black
colour. The hairs of the under fur on the back, are
palish grey at the base, then white, then bright rust
colour, and shaded into dusky at the apex. The
longer hairs are also grey at the base and gradually
shaded into black ; considerably beyond the middle
they are broadly annulated with white, towrards the
apex rust coloured, and at the apex blackish. The
hairs on the under parts of the body are almost
uniform in colour throughout, being very obscurely
tinted with pale grey at the base ; on the anterior
part of the muzzle the hairs are brown.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 9 inches ; tail,
14| inches; tarsus, (without including the claws) 5
inches 3 lines ; from nose to base of ear, 3 inches ;
ear, 1 inch 8 lines.

Habitat New South Wales — from the neighbour
hood of Hunter's River.

190 THE KANGAROOS.

The above description is taken from a specimen
in the Museum of the Zoological Society, which is
the original both of Mr. Gray's and Mr. Ogilby's de-
scriptions.

This species is easily distinguished from others
here described, by the rufous tint which prevails on
the upper parts of the body, the larger size of the
ears, and their black colour externally, and also by
the whitish colour of its tail ; the hairs on the tail are
not sensibly longer at the apex than on other parts.

GRAY'S HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypslprymnus Grail.

Hypsiprymnus Graii, Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society for December 8, 1840.

This species is closely allied to the H. rufescens,
but differs in being rather smaller, of a yellowish grey
colour, in having the ears, tarsi, and tail proportion-
ately shorter, and in being destitute of the distinct
black patch on the back of the ears.

The fur is moderately long and rather soft; that on
the back is grey next the skin, and externally pen-
cilled with white, and yellowish-grey, and they are
rusty black at the point ; the under parts are dirty
yellowish- white; the feet pale brown; a deep brown
hue is observable on the outer side of the tarsus, espe-
cially near the heel. The tail is rusty brown above,
slightly inclining to yellowish; brown-white beneath,
and about three inches of the apical portion is covered
with whke hairs, — it is tolerably well clothed, but

MACBOPUS PROPER. 191

the hairs at the tip do not form a distinct tuft as in
H. peniciUatus; the hairs on this part average at
about half an inch in length, or & little more. The
ears are furnished with whitish hairs within, excep-
ting near the margin, where they assume a yellow
tint ; externally the fur on the ears resembles that of
the upper surface of the head.

Length of adult male, from nose to root of tail,
1 8 inches ; tail, 1 2 inches ; tarsus, (without claws)
3 inches; ear, 1 inch; nose to ear, 2 inches 10 lines.

Found near Northam, interior of Western Austra-
lia.

The Hypsiprymnus Lesueuri of Quoy and Gaimard
is founded upon a skull in Direk Hastog's Island.
In size and general form this skull greatly resembles
that of the H. Whitei, but the tympanic cavity is said
to be larger, the zygomatic arches broader, and the
palate shorter.

GENUS MACROPUS.

SECTION, OR SUBGENUS, 1.

MacropiLs proper.

The species of this section are distinguished by
the tip of the muzzle being hairy, the naked portion
being confined to a narrow space around the openings
of the nostrils, and a small space between them : it
contains some of the largest and also some of the small-
est species of Kangaroos.*

* Mr. Gray, in his definition of this group, mentions as one
of the characters, a peculiarity in the incisors of M. gigantem,

192 THE KANGAROO*.

GREAT KANGAROO.

Macropus giganteus.

Macropus giganteus, SJtaw, Naturalist's Miscellany PI. 33.
Macropus major, Shaw, General Zoology, Vol. I., part 2, p.

505, PL 115.

Didelphys gigantea, Linn. Lyst. ed Geml. p. 109.
Kangums labiatus, Geoff, and Desm.^ Mamm. p. 273, sp. 423.

Ears moderate ; tail moderately long and very
thick ; fore limbs rather long compared with most
other species ; fur moderately long, neither soft nor
harsh ; the hairs waved and giving to the fur a slight
woolly character. General colour greyish-brown,
darker on the back and paler on the sides of the
body ; under parts and inner side of limbs brownish
white, on the chest faintly tinted with greyish ; the
hairs on this part obscurely tipped with dusky ; pre-
vailing tint of fore-legs greyish; the fore-feet grizzled
with black and brown-white; toes black. The hind-
legs externally, and the base of the tarsi, are very pale

which I do not find combined in other species with the hairy
muzzle. Mr. Gould has added several new species to this
section, and, whilst in Australia, paid particular attention to
this interesting family. This naturalist, I am happy to state,
intends shortly to publish a Monograph on the Macropodidce,
on the same scale as his splendid works on birds, in which
all the species, (including the novelties, which, by his kind
permission I have been enabled briefly to notice in this work)
will be carefully figured and described, and further enriched
with copious notes on their habits and ranges.

MACROPUS GIGANTEUS. 193

brown — or what might almost be called brown -white;
on the basal portion, a very obscure pale rusty tint is
observable, and on the hinder part is a faint greyish
hue; the toes are brown-black; the tail is covered at
the base with fur of the same character and colour as
that of the body, but as we recede from the base, the
hairs become gradually more adpressed and harsher,
and those on the apical half, which are almost entire-
ly black, are extremely harsh. The head is almost of
an uniform colour, nearly like that of the body, but
there are some slight shades of difference, for instance,
there is a very faint rusty hue on the sides ; the lower
part of the cheeks is somewhat greyish ; the sides of
the muzzle are rather dusky, and the top is of a paler
hue ; an indistinct whitish mark runs backwards be-
neath the eye from above the angle of the mouth ;
the tip of the muzzle is whitish ; the chin is dusky,
and the throat is greyish white ; the moustaches are
black. The ears are well clothed within with brown-
ish white hairs, but those nearest, and at the apical
margin, are blackish; externally they are almost en-
tirely brown -black ; at the base rather paler. Fur,
both of upper and under parts of body, brown-grey
at the base; the hairs on the upper parts white-brown
near the apex, and brown or brown-black at the apex.
Length from nose to root of tail, 47 inches ; tail,
34 inches ; circumference of tail at the base, about
12^ lines ; tarsus, 4j inches, not including the nails;
nose to ear, 7 \ inches ; ear, 4^ inches ; width 3
inches ; height of animal in its ordinary sub -erect
position 51 inches.

1 94> THE KANGAROOS.

The above description is taken from a fine male
specimen preserved in the Museum of the Zoological
Society. The female is rather smaller than the male.

Inhabits New South Wales and Van Diemen's
Land.

Shaw's second name (Macropus major,) is very
commonly used for this species, but that author fol-
lowing Gmelin, and some other older authors, used the
specific name Giganteus, when he originally described
it in his Naturalist's Miscellany. As both names are
equally applicable, I have adopted the oldest.

The great Kangaroo was first discovered in Cook's
first voyage, in 1770, whilst that celebrated navigator
was stationed for a short time on the coast of New
South Wales.

" On Friday, June 22d," says Captain Cook, " a
party who were engaged in shooting pigeons for the
use of the sick of the ship, saw an animal which they
described to be as large as a grey-hound, of a slender
make, of a mouse colour, and extremely swift."
The same kind of animal was soon after seen by
several of Cook's party and by Cook himself as well
as Sir Joseph (then Mr.) Banks, and ultimately the
wishes of the party to examine this extraordinary
animal were gratified, Mr. Gore, one of the associates
of the expedition, having been so fortunate as to shoot
one, " and it seems" observes Dr. Shaw, {f to have
been from this specimen that the'figure given in the
voyage was drawn."

Pennant's account of the habits of the Kangaroo
contains much in a small compass, I will, theretore,
give it in his own words.

MACROPUS GIGANTEUS. 195

" Inhabits the western side of New Holland, and
has as yet been discovered in no other part of the
world.* The natives call it Kanguru. It lurks
among the grass ; feeds upon vegetables ; drinks by
lapping ; goes chiefly on its hind-legs, making use of
the fore-feet only for digging, or bringing its food to
its mouth. The dung is like that of a deer. It is
very timid. At the sight of men flies from them by
amazing leaps, springing over banks seven or eight
feet high, and going progressively from rock to rock.
It carries its tail quite at right angles with its body
when it is in motion ; and when it alights often looks
back ; it is much too swift for greyhounds ; is very
good eating, according to our first navigators ; but
the old ones, according to the report of more recent
voyagers, were lean, course and tough.

" The weapon of defence was its tail, with which
it would beat away the strongest dog.

"In the spring of the present year, (1793) I had
an opportunity of observing the manners of one
brought into the capital alive. It was in full health,
very active, and very mild and good natured ; on first
coming out of its place of confinement, it for a little
time went on all fours, but soon assumed an upright
attitude. It would sport with its keeper in a very
singular manner ; it first placed its tail in a perpen-
dicular manner, t erected its body on it as a prop, and

* It is now known to be a native of Van Diemen's Land.

+ The author, no doubt, means that it rested, when darting
out its hind-legs, on the apical half of the tail only. Sir
Robert Heron observes, " the Great Kangaroo does not make
use of its tail in leaping, he uses it in walking, and still more

96 THE KANGAROOS.

then raising its whole body, darted its hind-legs on
the breast of the man. It was capable of striking
with great force if provoked ; and it could scratch
violently with its fore claws."

To this account I have but little to add. In Van
Diemen's Land it is called the " Forrester," and also
" Boomer." Mr. Gunn,* who observed the habits of
this animal whilst in Van Diemen's Land, states that
it frequently exceeds 70 Ibs. weight, t that " it exists
in the top of the western mountains, and in the more
remote parts. On the Western mountains I saw
them in great numbers, and the country being per-
fectly open, I had some beautiful hunting ; but in
some cases they completely outstripped the Kangaroo
dogs, which are a cross between the greyhound for
speed, and bull- dog for strength. I had a tame one
which allowed my children to play with it, and was
extremely docile. The tail is not used in progression,
although universally asserted; in leaping they usually
hold it out pretty horizontal, but never as a third
limb. Indeed, in defence, the hind-legs alone are
used, with which they can give most powerful strokes,

in standing ; when excited, he stands (the male only) on
tip-toe and on his tail, and is then of prodigious height. In
fighting he does not stand on the tail and one leg, but balances
himself for a moment on the tail only, and strikes forward with
both hind-legs. When sitting in a state of repose the Great
Kangaroo throws the tail behind him ; the lesser one (Macro-
pus Bennettii) before him."— Proc. Zool. Soc. 1835, p. 187-8.

* Annals of Nat. Hist. 1. p. 104.

+ Governor Philip, in his works, speak of a Kangaroo which
*.ucoed 140 Ibs.

MACROPUS GIOANTEUS. 197

and a very large Kangaroo will keep off, in a favour-
able situation, one or more dogs.

" Kangaroos, although, from the circumstance of
their food being abundant in spots, as on recently
burnt land, they may be seen in flocks, are not gre-
garious ; their food brings them to one spot, but you
never see two together, properly speaking ; and on
no occasion have I ever seen or known them in flocks,
owning a leader, and proceeding en masse, &c. &c.

" They lodge during the heat of the day amongst
high ferns, such as Pteris esculenta, high grass, and
in underwood, commonly here called scrubs, that is,
dense patches of Melaleuca, Septospermurrt , &c."

Mr. Gould informs me, the Kangaroo will take
readily to the water and can swim well ; and it fre-
quently happens that, when hunted, it will catch one
of the dogs up in its arms and will make off with
it to the nearest water, in which it will plunge the
dog until it be drowned.

The Great Kangaroo, as early as the year 1800,
had bred in this country, several specimens having
at that time been kept for some years in Richmond
Park, since then, some at least, of our Menageries
have never been without this species.

The Menagerie of the Zoological Society has at
different times contained no less than five species of
Kangaroo, viz : — Macropus giganteus, M. Parryi*
M. Bennettii, M. Derbianus, (a specimen of which,
also lived in the Menagerie of the Earl of Derby,)
and M. penicillatus.

198 THE KANGAROOS.

WOOLLY, OR RED KANGAROO.

Macropus laniger.

Kangurus laniger, Quoy and Gaimard. Voy. de I1 Uranie, PL 9.

_____ rufus, Desm. Mamm. Suppl. p. 841.

This species, which is the Red Kangaroo, of the
colonists of New South Wales, is rather larger than
the M. giganteus, and remarkable for its short woolly,
or rather cotton-like fur ; the fore limbs are propor-
tionately large, especially in the male, and the tail is
enormously thick and sparingly clothed with fur —
its prevailing colour is fulvous- red, or it may be call-
ed yellowish-rust colour (not dark,) the head, neck,
shoulders, and back, are tinted with grey ; which,
excepting on the head, is rather pale ; the under parts
of the body are of a pale ash colour, slightly tinted
with fulvous in the male, but in the female these
parts, as well as the limbs, are pure white. The
limbs in the male are dirty white, obscurely tinted
in parts with fulvous, and the tail is of the same
colour ; the toes of both fore and hind-feet are cover-
ed, in both sexes, with black, or nearly black hairs.
The sides of the muzzle, as far back as the 'angle of
the mouth, are pure white, but intermixed with the
white are some stiff, bristly, black hairs, which have
a tendency on each side of the muzzle to form two
black lines, and are most abundant above the angle
of the mouth, where they form a somewhat conspi-
cuous patch. In the female (in which the head is of

MACROPUS LANIGER. 199

a paler grey than in the male,) there is a conspicuous
broad white mark on each side of the muzzle, extend-
ing backwards, from the angle of the mouth, beneath
the eye — in the male the corresponding mark is in-
distinct. The ears are covered internally with white
hairs, and externally the hairs are very nearly of the
eame grey tint as the head, excepting near the tip,
where they are dusky.

Length from nose to root of tail, 5 feet ; tail, 3
feet ; nose to ear, 8 inches ; ear, 5f inches ; tarsus,
(claws not included) 13^ inches. The female mea-
sures from the tip of the nose to the root of the tail,
49 inches ; tail, 35^ inches — the tail is therefore
longer in proportion than in the male, and it is more-
over more slender. The posterior incisor is not quite
half as broad again as either of the preceding incisors,
and is destitute of the external folds or grooves, so
general in the group. I have not had an opportunity
of examining the incisors of a male specimen.

The muzzle is hairy as in the M. major, but the
hairs do not extend quite so far forwards.

The specimen described by Messrs. Quoy and
Gaimard is said to be from Port Macquarie ; it is
in a very bad condition. I have therefore, with Mr.
Gould's permission, taken my description from two
specimens brought by him from the interior of New
South Wales.

200 THE KANGAROOS.

SOOTY KANGAROO.

Macropus fuliginosut.
Kangurus fuliginosus, Desmarest. Mammal, p. 273.

General colour of fur sooty-brown, deeper on the
back than on the sides of the body — this colour is
shaded into grey on the neck, and the chest and
belly are of the same tint ; the ears are but sparing-
ly clothed, and are externally of a blackish colour,
as well as the feet and upper surface of the tail at
the apex ; the ears are margined with white hairs,
and the tip of the tail is yellowish beneath. The
hairs on the feet are brown-black, but terminated
with white ; those on the under side of the neck are
ashy-brown at the base and whitish at the point,
and those on the tail are of an uniform brown-black
colour.

Length of head and body, 59 inches; tail, 29
inches ; head, 9f inches — the female is one-fifth
less.

Said to inhabit Kangaroo Island.

The above description is from Desmarest. My own
description, from a specimen in the Paris Museum, is
from a smaller specimen than that above noticed — it
is probably the female, and is as follows : General
colour yellowish-brown ; toes and apical portion of
the tail blackish ; fur long and inclining to a woolly
texture ; the long fur extends about one foot on to
base of tail, and on the remaining portion the hairs

MACROPUS UNGUIFEB. 201

are shorter and adpressed ; on the tarsi and fore-legs
the hairs are grizzled with whitish ; under parts of
body whitish — the hairs are yellowish-brown at the
base, on these, as well as the upper parts ; ear with
white hairs internally ; brown-black externally.
Head uniform in colour with the body. Nose to
tail, 43 inches ; tail, 25 inches ; tarsus, (without the
nails) 10^ inches; ear, 4 inches.

This species is of a brighter tint* than M. gigan-
teus, and more uniform in its colouring than either
that species or M. laniger.

The dimensions which I took from another specimen
which I imagined to be of the same species, agrees
very nearly with those given by Desmarest — I pre-
sume it is the original of his description. Length, 57
inches ; tail, 30 inches ; tarsus, (without the claws)
1 2 inches ; ear, 4 inches 4 lines.

NAIL-BEARING KANGAROO.

Macropus unguifer.

Macropus unguifer, Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society, for August 1840.

Form slender, size moderate, tail very long. Fur
very short and moderately soft ; general colour buff
yellow ; on the fore part of the body and neck there
is a considerable admixture of white hairs, and the

* The colouring is no doubt become paler from exposure,
for the term fuliginosus is not well applied to the specimens
according to their present condition*

202 THE KANGAROOS.

head is almost entirely white ; the limbs and under
parts of the bod}7 are also white — or very nearly so.
A brownish mark, commencing about the middle of the
back, extends backwards over the rump and about
four inches along the upper surface of the tail, the
remaining portion of the tail is whitish, excepting at
the apical portion, where a space, of about six inches
in length, is covered with brownish hairs, and the
point is provided with a tuft of long black hairs
which conceal a nail, with which the tip of the tail
is furnished. This nail is of a black colour, thin
and hollow beneath, and in fact nearly resembles a
finger nail both in texture and form.

Length from nose to root of tail, 25 inches ; tail,
26 inches ; tarsus, 7 inches ; tip of muzzle to ear,
4 inches ; ear, 2^ inches.

Inhabits the north-west coast of Australia.

BRIDLED KANGAROO.

Macropus frcenatus.

Macropus fraenatus, Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society, for August 1840.

The general form of this small Kangaroo is slender,
and remarkably elegant; its fur is soft and rather
short ; general colour of the upper parts brown- grey ;
under parts white ; a narrow white line extends
backwards from the back of the head, on each side,
over the shoulders, and there joins with the white
colouring of the under parts ; these lines, therefore.

MACROPUS LUNATUS. 203

diverge as they recede from the hack of the head ;
the space hetween them is of a deeper colour than
elsewhere, being hlackish near the occiput, but be-
coming gradually paler towards the shoulders ; the
tail is grizzled with black and white and slightly suf-
fused with blackish at the tip, which is furnished
with a small homy tubercle; on the chin is a dusky
spot ; the throat, fore part of the neck, and chest are
pure white, and the belly is greyish ; on each side of
the muzzle is a white mark, and above this is a
somewhat indistinct dusky line ; an undefined dusky
line is observable on the upper side of the head.
The ears are of moderate size, and the hairs on the
inner side are white ; on the sides of the neck and
base of the fore-legs there is a wash of cream colour.
The tarsi and fore-legs are slender and almost of
white ; on the toes some blackish hairs are inter-
spersed with the white, and produce a grizzled ap-
pearance.

Length from nose to root of tail, 23 inches ; tail,
20 inches ; tarsus, 5^ inches ; tip of muzzle to ear, 4
inches 2 lines; ear, 2£ inches; middle toe, 1 J inches.

Inhabits the interior of New South Wales.

CRESCENT MARKED KANGAROO.

Macropus lunatus.

Macropus lunatus, Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society of London, for August 1840.

This is a small species, about equal in size to the

204 THE KANGAROOS.

common hare ; its head is short, the ears large, the
fore-legs small, the tarsi moderately long and slender.
The name, given by Mr. Gould, has reference to a
curved white mark ohservable on the sides of the
body a little behind the base of the fore-legs.

The fur is moderately long and very soft ; general
colour grey ; on the neck and shoulders a pale rust-
like tint prevails ; the under parts are grey- white —
the hairs being grey at the base and white at the apex;
the fore-legs and tarsi are brown-white, and on the
toes there are a few dusky hairs intermixed with the
paler hairs ; on the chin is a brownish patch and
there is a dusky line on the upper surface of the
muzzle which is pale grey, inclining to white ; an in-
distinct white line extends backwards from near the
angle of the mouth; the ears are furnished with
white hairs on the inner side, and are brown exter-
nally. Between the curved white mark, before
mentioned, and the base of the fore-leg is a dusky
patch.

Length from the nose to the root of tail, 18 inches;
tarsus, 4^ inches ; from tip of muzzle to ear, 3
inches ; ear, 2 inches.

Inhabits the west coast of Australia.

HARE-LIKE KANGAROO.

Macropus leporides.

Macropus leporides, Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society, for August 1840.

Size about equal to that of a hare. In the cha-

MACROPUS LEPORIDES. 205

racter and colouring of the fur this animal remarkably
resembles the common hare : the head is rather short
and arched, the fore-legs and feet are very small.

The upper parts of the body are variegated with
black and cream colour ; on the sides of the body a
buff-yellow tint prevails ; the belly is grey-white, and
the chest is of the same tint as the sides of the body;
the chin is white ; the fore-legs are black at the base,
and the fore-feet are mottled with buff and white ;
the hind-feet are very pale brown or brown- white ;
a broad buff coloured ring encircles the eye ; the tail
is of pale greyish, with a slight brownish tint through-
out, and the hairs are short and adpressed. The ears
are short, white within and greyish externally ; on
the back of the neck a yellowish or buff tint prevails.

Sometimes a bright rusty hue is observable in most
of the parts above described as being of a buff colour.

The foremost incisor of the upper jaw is the largest,
and the hinder one the smallest — the last mentioned
tooth has one vertical groove, and behind the incisors
is a small canine.

Length from nose to root of tail, 19^ inches; tail,
1 ,3 inches ; tarsus, 4| inches ; tip of muzzle to ear,
4 inches ; ear, 2 inches ; middle toe, 1 £ inch.

Inhabits the interior of Australia.

SUBGENUS 2,
Halmaiurus.

The species of this section differ from the first in
having the tip of the muzzle naked.

206 THE KANGAROOS.

PARRY'S KANGAROO.

Macropus Parryi.
PLATE XVIII.

Macropus Parryi, Bennett. Transactions of the Zoological
Society, Vol. I. p. 295, PI. 37,— and also in the Proceedings
of that Society for December 1834, p. 151.

Form slender, — much more delicate in its propor-
tions than M. major and its allies, — ears moderately
long; fore-legs slender ; tarsi rather long and slender;
*#il very long, slender and compressed. Fur mo-
derately long, can scarcely be described as soft, and
is far from harsh to the touch ; general tint silvery-
grey, the lower part of the back somewhat tinted
with brown-grey, and having a very obscure purplish
hue ; chin, throat, inner side of the limbs, under side
of the basal portion of the tail, and the whole of the
under parts of the body white ; on the chest the tips
of the hairs are very faintly tinted with greyish. The
muzzle is of a deep brown colour inclining to black,
but as we recede from the nose the tint becomes paler
and gradually blended into grey ; on the top of the
head and on the occiput the hairs are white or greyish
white ; a broad pure white mark extends from near
the tip of the muzzle backwards on to the cheeks, and
terminates nearly in a line with the posterior margin
of the eye ; a grey mark separates the white line from
the white of the under side of the head ; the ears,
which are somewhat pointed, are nearly naked within
but on the apical portion small white hairs are observ-
able ; externally or on the back, the ears are covered

MACBOPUS PARRY I. 20?

with adpressed white hairs in the middle; with hlack
hairs on the apical portion, and at the base with fur
like that on the head, hut of a sooty-black colour.
The fore-legs are for the most part covered with long
hairs of a white colour ; at the base externally they
are hoary-grey, and the hands or fore-feet are black ;
the tarsi are white, (somewhat greyish in parts) and
so are the hairs which cover the two little inner
joined toes; the other toes are black at the extremity,
and have a mixture of black and white hairs at the
base. The tail is almost entirely white, but is grey at
the base, on the upper side, where a small portion
is covered with loose fur like that of the body ; on
the remaining portions of the tail the hair is short
and very harsh, excepting on the under side of the
apical portion, where the hairs are longer and in-
crease in length, so as to form a kind of fringe ; the
tip of the tail is black, and the long hairs on the
under side of this portion are also black ; the space
occupied by black hairs beneath is variable, but in
one specimen measures about 3 inches in length —
deep rust coloured hairs surround the pouch of the
female, and are also observed from some little dis-
tance in the interior.

Length from nose to root of tail,
of tail

Inches. Lines.
34 0
31 0
5 4
6 0
1 10
9 6
3 6

from nose to ear, .
——_ from elbow to wrist, about
— — — of hand to base of clawi

. of tarsus to base of claws

of ear,

208 THE KANGAROOS.

The above description is taken from the original
specimen described by Mr. Bennett. A second speci-
men^ which lived some time in the Zoological Society's
Menagerie, agrees very nearly with the first in all its
dimensions.

The specimen from which Mr. Bennett drew up his
account, was brought from New South Wales by Cap-
tain Sir Edward W. Parry, R.N., and presented to the
Zoological Society. Sir Edward Parry states, that the
animal " was obtained at Stroud, near Port Stephens,
in the latitude of about 30° South. It was caught
by the natives, by whom it is called Wottaroo; having
been thrown out of its mother's pouch when the latter
was hunted. At that time it was somewhat less than
a rabbit ; but having continued in the possession of
Sir Edward Parry for more than two years in New
South Wales, besides six months on the passage to
England, it may be considered as full grown. It was
never kept in confinement until it was embarked for
England, but lived in the kitchen, and ran about the
house and grounds like a dog, going out every night
after dark into ' the bush,' (or forest) to feed, and
usually returned to its friend the man cook, in whose
bed it slept, about two o'clock in the morning. Be-
sides what it might obtain in these excursions, it
ate meat, bread, vegetables, in short, every thing
given to it by the cook, with whom it was extremely
tame, but would allow nobody else to take liberties
with it. It expressed its anger when very closely
approached by others, by a sort of half grunting, half
hissing, very discordant sound, which appeared to

MACROPUS ELEGANS. 209

come from the throat, without altering the expression
of the countenance. In the clay time it would occa-
sionally, hut not often, venture out to a considerable
distance from home, in which case it would some-
times he chased hack by strange dogs, especially
those belonging to the natives. From these, however,
it had no difficulty in escaping, through its extreme
swiftness, and it was curious to see it bounding up a
hill and over the garden fence, until it had placed
itself under the protection of the dogs belonging to
the house, especially two of the Newfoundland breed
to which it was attached, and which never failed to
afford it their assistance by sallying forth in pursuit
of its adversaries."

Captain Parry further observes, "that, like all other
Kangaroos, this animal, when in active motion, never
touches the ground with its tail, merely using it to
form a tripod when standing erect. It seems to
inhabit no part of the colony in the latitude of
Sydney."

A short time back a specimen of this beautiful
species of Kangaroo was living in the menagerie of
the Zoological Society, having been presented by
James Macarthy, Esq.

ELEGANT KANGAROO.

Macropus elegans.

Macropus elegans, Lambert. Transactions of the Lhmaean
Society, Vol. VIII., p. 318, PL 16.

Colour silvery grey, ears sub-obtuse, fore-feet with
five toes.

O

210 THE KANGAROOS.

Length from the tip of the nose to the end of the
tail, 62 inches and ^ths ; from the tip of the nose to
the eye, 2T80 inches ; from the tip of the nose to the
hack part of the skull, 5T5^ inches; length of tail, 26^
inches; length of ears, 3^ inches; length of the hind-
leg from the claw to the " knee " (? heel,) 10 inches.

The above description was taken, with a drawing,
from a living Kangaroo hrouglit from New South
Wales, and which was formerly in the possession of
Mr. Pidcock of Exeter Change.

" It is distinguished/' says Mr. Lambert, " by the
settlers in that country by the name of the Silver or
Brush Kangaroo, and by the natives is called Ba-ga-
ree. It appears to be a very distinct species from the
first discovered one, which Dr. Shaw in his General
Zoology has named Macropus major, differing from
that, not only in colour, but also in being much small-
er, and of a more handsome shape. The colour is a
beautiful silver-grey."

" Dr. White, who so long resided in New South
Wales, informs me that this species is very scarce,
and that its habits are very different from those of
the common Kangaroo, it being always found solitary
whereas the other is always found in herds of forty
or fifty together."

It is to be regretted that Mr. Lambert does not
give a more detailed description of the colouring of
this animal, for it is evident from the plate, that the
upper parts of the body were of a darker colour than
the under parts, and that the fore-feet, and anterior
half of the hind, are of a blackish colour. I strongly
suspect it is the M. Parryi.

If ACROPUS BENNETTII.

BENNETT'S KANGAROO.Vt/

Macropus Bennettii.
PLATE XIX.

Macropus Bennettii, Waterk. Proceedings of the Zoological

Society, for October 1837, p. 103-4.
Macropus (Halmaturus) fruticus, Ogilby. Annals of Natural

History for May 1838, p. 219.
" Brush Kangaroo " of the Colonists of Van Diemen's Land.

Fur rather long and moderately soft ; the longest
hairs on the middle of the back measure about two
inches, and the shorter about one and a half inches
in length : general tint very deep grey, inclining to
black on the back, somewhat paler on the sides of
the body, and a slight rusty tint is observable on the
back of the neck and base of the ears externally,
near the haunches and shoulders and in the region
of the eye. The under parts of the body, and the
inner side and fore part of the hinder legs, are of a
greyish white colour. The muzzle is black, and the
crown of the head is brown black ; an obscure whitish
line extends backwards from the angle of the mouth,
and becomes obliterated on the cheeks ; the hairs
on the lips are dirty white ; the chin is blackish.
The ears are furnished with dirty white hairs inter-
nally, except at the apical margin where they are
brownish, and longish black hairs externally, except-
ing at the base. The limbs externally are of the
same hue as the sides of the body ; the fore-feet, and
the toes of the bind-feet are black, the outer side of

212 THE KANGAROOS.

the heel is also hlack. The hairs of the tail (except-
ing at the base, where they are of the same colours
and character as those of the body) are rather harsh,
black, and broadly animlated with silvery white near
the apex ; the general tint is hoary grey, the white
portion of each hair being most conspicuous; the
apex of the tail is black, and on this part the hairs
are long and form a kind of tuft ; the under side of
the tail is dirty white; on the apical portion beneath,
where the hairs are comparatively long* it is brown-
white. The hairs on the upper part of the body are
of a deep slate colour at the base, the remaining por-
tion of each hair is black, annulated with white, or
more generally with pale rust colour ; on the under
parts of the body, the hairs are of a deep slate colour
with the apical portion white.

Length from nose to root of tail, 34 inches ; tail,
32 inches; from nose to base of ear, 5 inches 10
lines; tarsi, (without the claws) 8^ inches; ear, 3
inches 1 line

Inhabits Van Diemen's Land.

The above description and dimensions are taken
from an adult male m the Zoological Society's Mu-
seum ; the two females in the same Museum are of
a smaller size and rather paler colour ; around the
entrance to the pouch the hairs are of a deep rusty
brown colour. The young, when about the size of
a kitten, are of a brown colour; when it attains a
larger size — about equal to a rabbit — and leaves
the pouch of its parent, it has the same colouring as
the adult.

MACROPUS BENNETTII. 213

For some years past this species has lived and bred
in the menagerie of the Zoological Society, and was
supposed to be the Macropus ualabatus of Lesson.
Upon my visit to the Museum at Paris, where the
original specimen of the last named animal is deposit-
ed, I at once perceived that it was quite a distinct
species, and on my return I pointed out the distinc-
tions between the two ; shortly after, I discovered
that the M. Bennettii was a native of Van Diemen's
Land, and not of New South Wales as I had previous-
ly supposed. Nearly at the same time (about a month
after,) Mr. Gray also perceived the differences be-
tween the animal called M. ualabatus in England
and that described by M. Lesson, and proposed to
call the latter M. Lessonii, and the present species
M. ualabatus. Subsequently Mr. Ogilby described
the present animal under the name of M. fruticus.
Its hoary-grey tail, with a black tip, and the short-
ness of the fur on this part, together with the greyish
white colouring of the under parts of the body, and
larger ears, renders it easily distinguished from M.
ualabatus.

Upon visiting the splendid Menagerie of the Earl
of Derby, I could almost have fancied myself in
Australia : the heads of several of these Kangaroos
suddenly made their appearance from amongst a
quantity of heath, and upon my approach the animals
sprang forth, and with a few vigorous bounds were
soon out of reach — I understand they are now turned
loose in his Lordship's Park. When t. £ rest, this species
curves its tail under the body between its hind-legs.

214 THE KANGAROOS.

,'iese are thrust straight forward, and the fore-feet nre
placed on the ground.

. Mr. Gunn says this species " is hy far the most
common everywhere, (in Van Diemen's Land,) easily
overtaken hy swift Kangaroo dogs, and used most
generally for food. When roasted, or the tail made
into soup, it bears a pretty resemblance to hare, and
is universally esteemed/' — " The skins are tanned,
and is the only kind of leather used in the colony for
the uppers of ladies' and gentlemens' boots and shoes.
Many thousands of skins are annually exported from
Van Diemen's Land to New South Wales for the
same purpose.

" The Kangaroos usually feed at night, and in the
evenings and mornings, but they are exceedingly
sharp-sighted at day time." Ann. Nat. Hist., Vol.
I., p. 105-6.

WHITE KANGAROO.

Macropus albus.
Macropus albus, Gray. Spicilegia Zoologica, Part II., p. 10.

c< The fur soft, thick, and rather woolly, dirty
yellow- white; the soles of the hind-feet bald, black;
the ears rather long, reaching rather beyond the front
of the eye, ovate, acute ; the outer side, the edge,
and upper half of the inner side covered with rather
long scattered white hairs ; the tail thick and short,
not reaching to the shoulders, the end perhaps
destroyed.

MACROPUS ALBUS. 215

" This animal is only provisionally described as a
species, as there is only a single specimen of it in the
British Museum, without any skull. It may probably
prove only an albino variety of some other species,
though I am not acquainted with any species as yet
described that has such long ears, and so short and so
thick a tail ; but both these characters may depend
upon the manner in which it is stuffed ; for the skin
before it was stuffed, appears to have been used as a
cloak or mat.

" The length of the head is 7 inches ; of the ears
from the outer base to the tip, 3 inches ; of the
neck and body, 25 inches; of the tail, 15 inches; of
the fore-feet, with bones in them, 3 inches ; of the
hind-feet, with bones in them, to the end of the
middle toes, 8| inches ; and to the end of the outer
little toe, 7 inches."

The above is the whole of Mr. J. Gray's account
of M. albus ; if its dimensions be compared with those
of M. Bennettii, and with a white Kangaroo in the
Museum of the Zoological Society, it will be seen
there is a close correspondence, excepting in the
measurement of the tail, and as the skin upon which
M. albus was founded, was perhaps a "cloak or mat,"
I think it highly probable that a portion of the tail
may have been removed.

White variety of

M. Albus. M. Benmttii. M. Bmnettii.
Ins. Lin. Ins. Lin. Ins. Lin.
Length from nose to root of tail, 32 0 33 0 34 0

of tail, . . 15 0 32 0 32 0

tarsi, . 8686 86

ear, 30 30 31

210 THE KANGAROOS.

The specimen in the Zoological Society's Museum
is not perfectly white, but is of a brown-white colour,
somewhat tinted with yellowish ; the fur is ashy-grey
or brown-grey, next the skin, then tinted with pale
brownish yellow, and externally dirty white. Its
exact locality is not known ; but if it be a variety of
M. Bennettii, and of this I have very little doubt, it
must be from Van Diemen's Land, where Mr. Gunn
states " milk white or cream coloured Kangaroos
exist." Similar varieties of other species of Marsu-
pials are not very uncommon ; I have seen several
white, or whitish specimens of Petaurus Taguanii-
des, and Mr. Gunn speaks of white Opposums which
he bad seen. I do not think they are true albinos.

RED-NECKED KANGAROO.

Macropus ruficollis.

Kangurus ruficollis Desmarest. Mamm. p. 274, sp. 426.
Macropus ruficollis, Lesson. Maimual de Mamm. p. 226.

Less than M. major. General tint of upper parts
and sides of body greyish-brown, grizzled with grey,
brown, and white; a pale rusty yellow tint covers the
back of the ears at the base, and the back of the
neck, the hairs on these parts, however, are grizzled
with white; the chin, throat, under parts of the body,
and inner side of limbs white ; the fur of the belly is
grey next the skin with a slight purplish tint ; the
hairs covering the ears externally, (excepting at the
base) are greyish-brown, grizzled with white ; a pale

MACROPUS RUFO-GBISEUS. 21?

rusty tint encircles the eyes, and is most extended in
Vont of tli em ; the lips are white, and a whitish
.nark runs from the lips backwards beneath the eye;
the upper parts of the muzzle are brownish; the tarsi
are dirty white, the toes are blackish-grey grizzled
with whitish; the fore-feet are brownish, grizzled with
white ; the hairs on the tail are closely adpressed ;
on the upper part they are of the same general tint
as the body ; beneath, dirty yellowish- white.

Length from nose to root of tail, 3 feet 7 inches ;
tail, 1 foot 10| inches; tarsus, (without the claws)
8 inches; fore-legs, about 9 inches; ear, 2f inches;
nose to ear, 5 inches, 8 lines.

Inhabits King's Island, Bass' Straits.

The above description is taken from the specimen
in the Museum at Paris. There must be some mis-
take in the dimensions given by Desmarest, when he
says the length of the head and body is 1 foot 10
inches. Fisher says it is from 32 to 34? inches in
length ; making allowance for the French measure, and
the different mode of measuring these dimensions
nearly agree with those given by me.

RUSTY-GREY KANGAROO.

Macropus rufo-griseus,
Kangurus rufo-griseus, Desmarest. Mamm. p. 273 sp. 425.

Upper parts of the body of a rusty-grey colour,
the grey however predominates ; the under parts

218 THE KANGAROOS.

differ only in being paler; the extremities of the feet
and tail are brown, and the under side of the latter
is of the same colour as the upper ; hairs of the back
rusty at the base, then annulated with whitish, and
at the point brown ; those of the belly and chest
having the white portion less extended.

Length from nose to root of tail, 47^ inches: head,
8| inches; ears, about 4 inches 5 lines; tail, 26£
inches.

Habitat, New Holland. The above description is
from Desmarest.

Mr. Gould brought from New South Wales a
species of Kangaroo which agrees very well with the
foregoing description in most respects : — its general
colour is rusty-brown pencilled with white; (prevail-
ing hue rust colour ; ) fur on back grey at base ; be-
yond of a rust colour, broadly annulated with white
near the point ; the point itself of each hair black ;
neck and shoulders almost entirely of a bright rust
colour ; muzzle deep brown, almost black for about
an inch and a half of upper surface ; a tolerably dis-
tinct white mark on upper lip, runs backward and
terminates beneath the eye ; a patch of black on the
chin ; the throat pure white ; the under parts of the
body are grey-white, the hairs being white externally
and grey at the base; fore-legs principally of a bright
rust colour ; over the paws grizzled with black and
rusty- white ; fingers black ; tarsus with the visible
portion of the hairs chiefly white, but they are all
brown-black at the base; toes covered with black
hairs ; tail hoary-grey, (well clothed) a small pencil

MACROPUS UALABATUS. 21 9

of black hairs at the tip ; at base covered with fur
of the same character and colour as that on the
body ; under side of tail dirty yellow-white ; ears
clothed with blackish hairs externally, excepting at
the base, where they assume the grizzled rusty hue
of those on the head ; internally the ears are well
clothed with white hairs, but the tip is narrowly
margined with black.

Inches.
Length from nose to root of tail . . 35

of tail, 28|

of tarsus, 9

from nose to ear, . . . . 5£

of ear, ^

This animal very closely resembles the M. Ben-
nettii in its size and proportions ; it is remarkable for
the prevailing rusty red hue of the fur, — the hairs on
the upper parts being of this colour in the middle.

WALABEE KANGAROO.

Macropus ualabatus.
PLATE XX.

Macropus ualabatus, Lesson. Manual de Mammal ogie, p. 227.
Kangarus Brunii, Desinarest. Mammalogia, p. 275, sp. 429.

Fur long, rather harsh to the touch ; general colour
dark brownish, with a slightly rusty hue in parts
nnd pencilled with whitis i ; under parts yellowish,

220 THE KANGAROOS.

the hairs on these parts hrown grey at the base ;
fore-feet and wrists hlack ; tarsi black, grizzled at
the base ; tail covered at the base with fur like that
of the body, the apical two-thirds covered with long-
ish black hairs, on the sides the grizzled hairs like
those on the base extend full half the length of the
tail ; on the under side of the apical portion of thfc
tail, are some long brown- white hairs ; lips and chin
whitish , on the fore part of the hind-leg a yellowish
white hue prevails ; the ears are clothed with dirty
white hairs internally, and externally with fur like
that of the head, a rusty patch surrounds their base,
and this colour is extended on to the neck ; the
cheeks are pale brownish with a considerable ad-
mixture of dirty white ; the crown of the head is
brownish, grizzled with dirty white; upper part of
muzzle and around the eye blackish.

Length from nose to root of tail, 29^ inches; tail,
24 inches ; tarsus to base of claws, 6 inches 8 lines ;
nose to ear, 4 inches 2 lines ; fore arm and hand, to
base of claws, about 5 inches 8 lines ; ear, 2 inches
6 lines.

Habitat, New South Wales.

The above description was taken by myself from
a specimen in the Paris museum, — on the bottom of
its stand was written " le nom du Pays est oualabat,
de Port Jackson, expos11 de la coquille," — there is no
doubt therefore that this is the original of M. Lesson's
description. I carefully compared this animal with
another in the same Museum, on the stand of which
was written :

MACROPUS UAIA.BATUS. 221

" Kangaroo Filandre

, d' Aroe

Didelphus brim."

The comparison left no doubt on my mind as to the
identity of the two animals. Desmarest's description
perfectly agrees with the present species, arid was
probably taken from the last mentioned specimen ;
there must be some mistake in his dimension, which
gives for the length of the tail one foot ; it ought to
be two feet. The animal referred to in Desmarest s
svnonyms — that first noticed by Le Brunn, is a very
different species. In a specimen of M. ualabatus in
the Museum of the Zoological Society, a rusty hue
is very conspicuous on the haunches and lower por~
tion of the back; a broadish black mark runs upwards
to the shoulders on each side, from beneath the base
of the fore-leg ; the under parts of the body are rusty
yellow; a very deep rusty red hue prevails around
the base of the ears ; the tail is for the most part
brown beneath, but at the apex the hairs are whitish
^it does not appear to be so thick at the base as in
M. Bennettii.

This, which is the Walabee of New South Wales,
somewhat resembles the Brush Kangaroo of Van
Diemen's Land, (M. Bennettii) it is however rather
smaller and its colouring is darker and richer ; it is
less grey ; the under parts of the body are rusty
yellow instead of grey-white ; the hairs of the tail
are longer and not adpressed ; the ears are rather
shorter and apparently black, whereas in M. Bennettii
they are of a yellowish flesh colour. It is easily

222 THE KANGAROOS.

distinguished from the Walabee of Van Diemen's
Land, (M. Billiardieri) that being of a smaller size,
and having very short ears furnished with yellow hairs
on the inner side ; the Van Diemen's Land animal,
moreover, has a shorter tail and the hairs on this part
are short and adpressed ; its colouring is less bright,
being almost totally devoid of rusty tint, excepting
on the under parts of the body.

Macropus Irma.

Halmaturus Irma, Jourdan. Comptes Rendu des Stances
de P Academic des Sciences, October 9, 1837, p. 523. An-
nales des Sciences Naturelles, seconde se'rie, p. 371.

~ " The general form of this new Halmaturus is
remarkably elegant : its slender body, and fine and
delicate limbs, its tail surmounted by a crest of hairs,
and terminated with white, its black and white ears,
the form of the head, all combine to give it a most
beautiful appearance. Its characters are: — head grey
above ; cheeks and lips yellowish white ; a black spot
on the chin ; outer surface of the ears brown in front
and whitish behind ; the inner side of the ears, yel-
low, but black on the apical portion, the black ex-
tends over about one-third of the ear ; a brown spot
is observed between the ears, and this spot is some-
what prolonged on to the neck : chest, neck, flanks,
and outer side of the limbs bright buff yellow ; fore
and hind-feet yellow ; toes brown-black ; the greater
portion of the tail is grey, blackish towards the apex,
and is terminated with white hairs ; it has a double

MACROPUS MANIOATU8. 223

crest of hairs, the longer of which is that on the upper
surface.

" Length from the tip of the muzzle to the hase of
the tail, 28 inches 5 lines; Jail, 24 inches 10 lines;
anterior limbs, 4 inches 4 lines ; posterior limbs, 1 7
inches 9 lines ; ears, 3 inches 2 lines.

44 Habitat, Swan River."

The above is a translation of M. Jourdan's account
of this beautiful new species of Kangaroo.

BLACK-FOOTED KANGAROO.

Macropus manicatus.

Macropus manicatus, Gould. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society, for October 1840.

This is a beautiful new species from Swan River,
remarkable for its jet black fore-feet and anterior
half of the tarsus, but more particularly for the abrupt-
ness with which the black terminates, causing the
feet to appear as if they had been dipped in ink or
some other black liquid. It is about the size of the
Walabee, or rather larger, for the specimen examined
is a female.

General colour of the upper parts deep grey, «. e.
grizzled with black and white ; chest pale grey;
throat, inner side of ears, abdomen, and inner side
and fore part of hind-legs, fore-legs, and tarsi, palish
fawn-yellow ; a mark on the side of the face, extend-
ing almost to the ear, is of the same colour: ears
externally and internally, at the tip, as well as the

224 THE KANGAROOS.

occipital portion of the head, hlack ; fore-feet, anterior
half of hind-feet and the apical portion of the tail pure
black ; upper surface of the head, and hack of the
neck adjoining the occiput, sooty hlack, and on the
chin is a small hlack stripe.

The far is moderately long, and although not de-
cidedly soft, is by no means harsh to the touch : on
the back the hairs are slate-grey at the base, brown-
ish in the middle, and black annulated with white,
beyond ; on the sides of the body the general hue is
paler, the black being less conspicuous, and there is
moreover a slight fulvous tint on these parts, especially
in the region of the shoulders. Fur like that of the
body extends about eight inches on to the tail ; be-
yond this the hairs assume a more harsh character „
they are still, however, moderately long, and at the
tip their length increases, so that they form a terminal
tuft ; above, the black hairs covering the apical por-
tion of the tail, extend about eight inches from the tip,
but beneath, the black extends more than half the
entire length of the tail. The fore-feet are rather
small,* and the tarsi are of moderate length.

Length from nose to root of tail, 30 inches ; tail
26 inches; nose to ear, 5 inches; ear, 2^ inches;
tarsus, 8 inches 10 lines.

From M. Jourdan's description, the M. Irma
would appear to approach very near to the present
species ; — in size it very nearly agrees — in fact it
seems to differ chiefly in having the tail terminated

* In the male no doubt they would be larger, since this is
always the case in the Kangaroos.

MACROPUS BRUNII. 225

with white, (and this may be accidental,) and the
parts described as black in M. manicatus, are in
the M. Irma for the most part of a less deep hue.
Perhaps these two will prove to be the same species.

FILANDER KANGAROO.

Macropus Brunii.

Didelphys Brunii, Linn. Gmel. i., p. 109.
Filander, Le Brim. Voyage par la Moscovie en Perse, et aux
Indes Orientales, Vol. II., p. 347, Fig. 213.

Following is Le Brim's account of the Filander,
upon which the Didelphys Brunii is founded.

" Being at the country house of our General, (at
Batavia,) I saw a certain animal called Filander,
which was somewhat remarkable. There were many
individuals with full freedom, running with some
rabbits, which had their holes under a little hillock
encircled by a ballustrade. This animal, which I
have represented at No. 213, has the hinder-legs
much longer than the front, and is nearly of the same
size, and has nearly the same fur, as a large rabbit.
The head approaches in form to that of a fox, and
the tail is pointed : but the most extraordinary cir-
cumstance is, that it had a bag-like opening in the
belly, into which the young enter, even when they
have attained a considerable size. They are often
seen with the head and neck thrust out from this
bag ; when, however, the mother is running, they
are not visible, but keep to the bottom of the pouch,
since she leaps muck."

220 THE KANGAROOS.

In the f< Voyage de 1* Astrolabe " * will be found
the following account of an animal found at Port Dory,
New Guinea, which M. M. Quoy and Gaimard sup
pose to be identical with the Filander of Le Brun.

<f The Papu brought us this young male Kanguroo/'
states the authors, " which is remarkable for the size
and strength of its limbs, and the length of the head,
which is much more obtuse than in other Kanguroos.
Its anterior extremities as well as the posterior, are
robust ; the ears are proportionately smaller than in
other species. The fur is of a grey-brown colour on
the upper parts of the body, and yellowish-grey on
the under ; the yellow hue is most distinct between
the legs. The under surface of the feet is of a pale
reddish colour, and the tip of the muzzle is pinkish ;
the eyes are ruddy, and the tail is rather shorter than
the body. The total length, including the tail, is
about 244 inches ; the head, 3 inches ; from nose to
root of tail, 10 inches 11 lines; tail, 13^ inches;
ears, 1 inch 4 lines ; circumference of the body in
the middle, 8 inches ; length of fore-limbs, 4 inches
4 lines ; hind-limbs, 8 inches 8 lines."

The tarsus is represented in the Plate of the full
size ; its length, with the claws, is 4 inches.

* Under the name Kanguroo d* Aroi^ aee p. 116. J'be
animal is figured in PL 20.

1UCROPUS BILLARDIERII. 227

RED-BELLIED KANGAROO.

Macropus Bill-ardierii.

Rangurus Billaidierii,Z>esmararf. Mammalogie,p.542,sp. 843.
Macropus rufi venter, Ogilly. Proceedings of the Zoological

Society for February 1 838, p. 23 — and in Annals of Natural

History for May 1838, p. 220.
Halmaturus (Thylogale) Tasmanei, Gray. Annals of Natural

History for April 1838, p. 108,
" Wallaby " or " Wallabee " of Van Diemen^s Land.

Tail shorter than body ; ears short ; fur long and
rather soft ; general tint very dark ; on head, upper
parts of body, legs and upper part of tail, brown ;
under parts dirty yellow ; lips and tip of chin yellow^
ish white ; fore and hind-feet brown, toes deep
brown ; tail dirty brownish yellow beneath. Hairs
of the fur brownish-grey at the base, annulated with
brownish- white near the apex, and brown-black at
the apex ; fur like that of the body covers the basal
portion of the tail, on the apical portion the hairs are
harsher and somewhat adpressed ; ears internally
with yellowish white hairs, externally coloured as
upper surface of head.

Length from nose to root of tail, 21 inches; tail,
1 Of inches ; tarsus, (claws not included) 4 inches
8 lines ; ear, If inches ; nose to ear, 3 inches 8 lines.
Length of skull, 4 inches 1£ lines; width, 2 inches
1 \ lines ; from front of anterior incisor to posterior
palate opening, 1 inch 7 lines; width between anterior
molars, 6 \ lines ; width between last molar, 9^ lines.

228 THE KANGAROOS.

Longitudinal extent of molars on either side of upper
jaw, 1 inch 2 lines.

Habitat, Van Diemen's Land.

The foregoing description is from my notes made
in the Paris Museum, and was drawn up from the
original of Desmarest's account. There can be no
doubt it is the same species as that described by Mr.
Ogilby and Mr. Gray under the names given at the
head of this description. The specimen from which
Mr. Ogilby drew up his description of Macropus
rufiventer is now before me ; it is a fine male and
of a larger size than the specimen at Paris — its gene-
ral colouring is very dark brown, but rather distinctly
pencilled with brownish white; on the back the long-
est hairs of the fur are almost entirely black, and the
hairs of ordinary length being black at the tip (brown-
white near the tip,) gives to this part a deeper and
somewhat blackish hue ; on the sides of the body
there is a greater admixture of brown ; the upper
lip is of a dirty yellowish hue, and this tint extends
backwards to the angle of the mouth ; the chin and
throat are of a dirty buif yellow tint ; the chest and
under parts of the body are rusty yellow ; there is
scarcely a perceptible difference in the general tint
of the fore-legs and feet, and the sides of the body —
the tarsi are of a very dark-brown colour, inclining to
black ; the tail is tolerably well clothed with fur, of
the same general hue as the back, and at the base of
the tail it is also of the same soft texture, but as we
recede from the base the fur becomes harsher, and
on the apical portion it is very harsh, and of a paler

MACROPUS BILLARDIERII. 229

hue ; on the under side of the tail it is of a pale-
hrown colour, and the apical half is destitute of hairs,
but covered by scales, as in the rat's tail — in a younger
animal, (agreeing in size with the Paris specimen,)
I find the same part tolerably well furnished with
stiff hairs, but in parts they are short from having
been worn. The ears are short, furnished within
with longish rusty-yellow hairs ; some hairs of the
same colour are observable also on the outer side,
next the lower margin ; the back of the ear is well
clothed with hairs and is of a blackish or dusky hue,
rather paler at the base. The head and cheeks are
of an uniform dark brownish-grey tint, the hairs on
these parts are obscurely grizzled with greyish-white ;
the crown of the head and occiput are of a deeper
hue.

Length from nose to root of tail, 25 inches ; tail,
14^ inches; tarsus, to base of nails, 5 inches 2 lines;
nose to ear, 4 inches 2 lines; ear, 1 inch 8 lines.
Height of animal, when in its ordinary half erect
position, about 20 inches.

I have examined several specimens of this species,
all from Van Diemen's Land ; the colour of the under
parts varies from dirty yellow to a rusty or rusty-
yellow tint ; in some specimens there is a greater
admixture of black in the colouring of the upper
parts ; the short ears, with yellowish hair internally,
the yellowish belly, and the deep brownish colouring
of the upper parts, render it easy to be distinguished;
it is totally devoid of the bright rust colour about the
sides of the body and limbs, which several Kangaroos

230 THE KANGAROOS.

of nearly similar size possess. This, the " Wallaby" ot
Van Diemen's Land, must not be confounded with
the " Wallaby"' of New South Wales, (M. ualabatus)
which is a distinct though nearly allied species. Mr.
Gunn, in his paper before quoted, states that this
species is most common near the sea, and on the
Islands in Bass' Straits ; he moreover says they are
excellent eating, but the smallness of the skins rendeis
them of less value for tanning than the other larger
species.

Macropus dorsatis.

Halmatums dorsalis, Gray. In Magazine of Natural History
for November 1837, p. 583.

Ears moderately long ; tail longer than the body,
the latter being measured in a straight line ; general
tint brownish grey> having a slight pale rusty hue,
the occiput, back of neck, and fore-legs, of a bright
rust colour; a black longitudinal mark commences
on the back of the neck and terminates about half
way down the back ; on the back of the neck it is
not very distinct ; chin, throat, and the whole of the
under parts of the body and inner side of the limbs
white ; the fur on these parts is uniform to the root,
and not grey at the base as usual, and that on the
upper parts of the body is very pale next the skin ;
a whitish mark runs backward from the upper lip
and terminates under the eye; the general tint of the
head is rusty grey; ears tolerably well clothed within
with long whitish hairs ; externally clothed with fur

MAUBOPUS DORSALIS. 231

of the same character and colour as that on the top
of the head ; tarsi whitish at the base, grizzled with
white and dark brown in the middle, and the hairs
over the toes are of a very dark brown colour almost
black ; a transverse whitish mark is observable on
the haunches ; about three inches of the tail, at the
base, is covered with fur of the same texture and
colour as the body ; the rest of the tail is but spar-
ingly clothed, the hairs are very small and rather
harsh and do not hide the scales ; the general tint is
grey; on the under side of the tail the hairs are much
longer and more dense, and they are of a dirty pale
yellow colour; the fore-foot is rather long and slender.

Length from nose to root of tail, 27 inches ; tail,
21 inches; tarsus, (without the claws) 6^ inches;
fore arm, 3 inches 4 lines; from nose to ear, 4 inches
8 lines ; ear, 2 inches 5 lines.

Habitat, New South Wales.

The specimen from which this description is taken
is also the original of Mr. Gray's description. Its
general colouring is pale, but upon separating the fur
of the back, I perceive that it was killed when shed-
ding the fur, (the new hair making its appearance ;)
no doubt it would have a somewhat deeper hue at
other times. This species is closely allied to M.
ruficollis and M. rufo-griseus, but is of a smaller size,
and is distinguishable by the black line on its back ;
its colouring and proportions will not admit of its
being confounded with the M. Derbianus, another
species having a. black mark on the back; in that
animal, however, it is most distinct on the back of

232 THE KANGAROOS.

the neck, and extends to the occiput ; here, it is
most distinct on the back, and does not extend to
the occiput.

EUGENE ISLAND KANGAROO.

Macropus Eugenii.

Kangurus Eugenii, Desmarest. Mammalogie, p. 274, sp. 427
Macropus Eugenii, Lesson. Manuel de Mammalogie, p. 227.
Halmaturus Thetidis, Geoff. $ F. Cuv. Mamm. Ivi.

Fur very soft ; general colour grey-brown, tinted
with rust in the region of the shoulders, the back of
the neck and the upper part of the head, as well as
the fore-feet ; the whitish colour of the under parts
of the body rather distinctly separated from the deep
colouring of the upper parts ; under side of the tail
white, slightly tinted with rusty ; upper side grey-
brown ; each of the hairs of the back is grey for the
greater portion of its length, and then annulated with
brown and whitish, and at the point brown ; those
on the shoulders and back of the neck, are at first
grey, then rusty, followed by white, and at the point
rusty again.

Length from nose to root of tail, 23 inches ; head,
4 inches 4 lines ; tail 13| inches.

Habitat the Island of Eugene on the South Coast
of New Holland.

An animal in the Museum of the Zoological Society
agrees generally, so well with the foregoing descrip-
tion, which is from Desmarest, that there can be no
doubt, I think, as to its being the M. Eugemi. It is

MACROPUS EUGENII. £33

from New South Wales, north of Hunter's River.
The general colour of the upper parts is deep grey-
brown with a slight rufous tint ; over the shoulders,
back of neck, and base of fore-legs externally, a
bright rust colour prevails, but this tint does not ex-
tend on to the head, as stated in Desmarest's descrip-
tion, nor on to the fore-feet ; the upper surface of
the head being dusky, the fore part of the arms grey-
ish, and the fore-feet brownish ; the chin and throat
are white, the whole under parts of the body are also
white, but less pure ; the hind-feet are of an uniform
dark brown colour — or very nearly so. The tail is
brownish grey above and dirty white beneath, and in
parts tinted with brownish ; a very small portion of
the tail at the base is covered with fur like that of
the body; on the remaining portion the hairs are
shortish, harsh, and somewhat adpressed ; on the
sides of the tail the hairs are scanty, and the scales
covering the tail are very apparent — the same cha-
racter is observable in a very young animal of the
same species. The ears are tolerably well furnished
within with moderately long dirty white hairs ; ex-
ternally they are clothed with fur like that on the
top of the head, on the fore part of the ear it is
blackish, and on the hinder part greyish ; the muzzle
is somewhat greyish ; and the upper lip is dirty white.
Length from nose to root of tail, 22 inches; tail, 13^
inches ; nose to ear, 4 inches ; tarsus, (without the
claws) 5^ inches; ear, 1 inch 10 lines; fore-arm,
about 3 inches.

In the young animal before alluded to, and which

234 THE KANGAROOS.

is scarcely half grown, there is a brown mark along
the middle of the tail beneath. It is from the same
locality as the adult specimen last described.

Desmarest,in a foot-note accompanying the account
of M. Eugenii, says " nous croyons pouvoir rapporter
ce nom a un Kanguroo de la collection du Museum,
qui a ete etiquete Kanguroo ties ties Saint Pierre, et
qui, par sa taille, ressemble a 1'espece trouvee dans
ces iles par Lesueur et Peron. Ce Kanguroo est
maintenaiit indique comme un jeune de 1'espece a
cou roux" (M. rvficoUis.*)

This same specimen is again referred to by Messrs.
Geoffroy and F. Cuvier, in their account of the Hal-
mature Thetis. They say the species to which they
give this name has long existed in the Paris Museum,
but the resemblance of its colouring to the M.ruficollis
caused it to be mistaken for the young of that species.

LORD DERBY'S KANGAROO.

Macropus Derbianus.
PLATE XXI.

Halmaturus Derbianus, Gray. Magazine of Natural History,
(new series), Vol. I., p. 583.

Ears moderate, pointed ; feet moderate; tail rather
exceeding the body in length, the latter being mea-
sured in a straight line. Fur very long and rather
coarse ; general colour deep grey-brown tinted with
rust ; each hair is pencilled with white near the
apex ; a rusty tint is observable over the shoulders,

MACROPUS DERBIANUS 235

but it is there not conspicuous ; over the haunches
and towards the root of the tail, however, a deep
rusty hue prevails ; the legs are almost entirely rust
coloured ; the base of the tarsus is somewhat paler
than other parts, and the anterior half is brownish,
the fore-feet are dark brown above ; the under parts
of the body are rusty white ; the lower part of the
abdomen and under side of the tail at the base is of
a pale rust colour ; the lips and chin are whitish ;
and a palish, and not well defined mark, runs from
the angle of the mouth backwards, and terminates
beneath the eye; above the eye is an indistinct whitish
spot ; the muzzle is slightly dusky ; the occiput is
blackish, and a broad blackish mark runs backwards
from the occiput on to the back, where it becomes
blended with the ordinary colouring. Scarcely any
hair can be perceived on the inner side of the ear, and
externally where it is dark, it is but scantily clothed
excepting at the base. Fur of the same character
as that on the rump covers about three inches of the
tail at the base ; beyond this, the hairs are short,
harsh, and adpressed, and the general tint is grey —
the hairs being partly blackish and partly grey- white;
on the under side of the tail the hairs are dirty white;
on the apical portion of the tail the hairs are not
sufficiently abundant to hide the rings of scales with
which it is covered. Fur on the under parts of the
body grey at the base ; on the chest deep grey at
the base ; on the back the fur is grey at the base,
then shaded into pale rust colour, annotated with
white near the apex, and black at the apex ; the

23R THE KANGAROOS.

longest hairs are almost entirely black on the middle
of the back.

Length from nose to root of tail, 22 inches; tail,
17 inches; from nose to ear, 3 inches 10g lines;
ear, 2 inches ; tarsus, (without the claws) 5 inches
4 lines ; from elbow to wrist, about 3 inches 3 lines.

Habitat, Swan River,

This animal in size and proportion greatly resembles
the M. Eugenii) but its tail is considerably longer and
thicker at the base ; the white of the under parts is
less pure and tinted with rusty ; there is a broad dark
longitudinal mark on the back of the neck, which
M. Eugenii has not, nor are the limbs and haunches
rusty in M. Eugenii as in the present species, which,
moreover, has a somewhat harsh fur. The pale
colouring of the under parts are blended into the
darker colour of the upper.

SHORT-TAILED KANGAROO.

Kangurus brachiurus, Quoy and Gaimard. Voyage de decou
vertes de TAstrolabe, Zoologie, Tom. I., p. 114, PI. 19.

Ears small, rounded, hidden at the base by the
long hair of the head ; tail very short ; fur long and
glossy, and moderately soft — general hue deep brown,
blackish on the middle of the back, on the head and
shoulders a rusty-yellow tint prevails; the whole of
the under parts of the body are dirty yellow ; the fore
anl hind -feet ar? brown ; the tail exhibits scales like

MACROPUS FASCIATUS. 2,°>7

that of a rat, and is furnished with short stiff hairs,
(not sufficiently numerous to hide the scales) which
are of a brown colour on the upper parts, and dirty
white on the under ; the ear is covered externally
with hair like that of the head, internally there are
long yellowish hairs.

On the upper parts of the hody the fur is grey at
the base, broadly annulated with bright yellow near
the apex, and black at the apex ; the longer silky
hairs are almost totally black ; on the sides of the
body the hairs are broadly annulated with pale yellow
near the tip, and at the tip they are brownish ; the
hairs of the belly are grey at the base and yellow
externally.

Length from nose to root of tail, 18 inches; tail, 7
inches 9 lines ; nose to ear, 3 inches ; ear, 1 inch 2
lines ; tarsus, (claws not included) 3 inches 4f lines.

Habitat, King George's Sound.

The above description is taken from the original
specimen in the Paris Museum ; it greatly resembles
the Hypsiprymnus murinus. The length of its
skull, according to the figure given in M. M. Quov
and (jaimard's work, is 3 inches 4 lines.

BANDED KANGAROO.

Macropus fasciatus.

Kangurus fasciatus, Peron et Lesueur. Voyage aux Terres
Aufetrales, Tom. I., p. 114, and altus. PI. 27.

. Desmarest Mammalogie, sp. 428, p. 274.

" Kanguroo elegant," Cuvier. Coll. du Mus.
Halmaturus elegans, Regne Animal i., p. 187.

This beautiful little animal is about the size of the

238 THE KANGAROOS.

common rabbit, and in the general colour and texture
of the fur nearly resembles the common hare. The
tail is moderately long, the ears are rather short; fur
long and soft ; numerous long silky white hairs, in-
terspersed with the ordinary fur, on the upper parts
of the body ; the fur on the back is deep brown-grey
at the base, white towards the apex, and rusty-yellow
shaded into dark brown at the apex ; on the hinder
half of the back, are about twelve or thirteen, not
very defined, transverse black bands ; each band is
bordered above with white, and between the white
and the next band a rusty-yellow tint is observable ;
the throat, and under parts of the body are white ;
the chin, muzzle, and a space round the eye, are
yellowish -brown ; tarsus and outer side of legs tinted
with yellow ; the hairs on the fore-feet, and those
covering the base of the toes of the hinder-feet, are
whitish ; the tail is covered with short adpressed
grizzled grey and dirty white, or in parts black and
white hairs; the under side is dirty white; about 1^
inches of the apical portion is covered with longer
black hairs; ears with white hairs externally coloured
like the head.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 7i inches ; tail,
10 inches 8 lines; tarsus, (claws not included) 4
inches; ear, 1^ inches; nose to ear, 3 inches; fore-
legs about 3 inches 2 lines.

This description is taken from the original speci-
men in the Museum at Paris.

The Banded Kangaroo is found at Dirck Hartog's
Island, and on one or two neighbouring islands in
Shark's Bay, on the west coast of Australia. It is

MACROPUS FASCIATUS. 2o0

said to inhabit the impenetrable low thickets, formed
of a species of Mimosa, which are found in those
islands ; from these bushes they cut away the lower
branches and spines so as to form galleries communi-
cating one with another, and where they take refuge
in time of danger. The females bring forth but one
young at a time.

Although abundant in the islands of Shark's Bay,
Peron states that none were to be found on the main-
land. These little Kangaroos, like all those feeble
animals which have neither the power of attack nor
of defence, are, like the hares, extremely timid. The
slightest noise caused them to take flight to the thick
brushwood in which their galleries are constructed,
and where it is impossible to pursue them — hence,
although very common, they are difficult to procure.

The flesh of these animals is said to resemble that
of the rabbit, but has a slight aromatic flavour, arising
probably from the nature of the plants on which they
feed, nearly all of which are fragrant.

At the time that Peron visited the islands all the
females carried young in their pouch, and the courage
with which they sought to save their offspring was
truly admirable. Although wounded, they flew with
the young in the pouch, and never left them, until,
overcome with fatigue and loss of blood, they could
»o longer carry them ; they then stopped, and squat-
ting themselves on the hind-legs helped the young to
get out of the pouch by nieans of the fore- feet, and
sought to place them in a situation favourable for
retreat.

240 THE KANGAROOS.

SUBMENUS 3.

Petrogale, Gray. Heteropus, Jourdan.

Mr. Gray* defines this group thus: — " Muzzle
bald, distinct. Canine teeth, none ; the upper cut-
ting teeth are equal ; front rather longest, and incurv-
ed ; the hinder one hatchet shaped, dilated at the top,
and notched in the centre, (scarcely folded.) The
tail cylindrical, covered with long, rather rigid hairs,
forming a tuft at the tip." Type, Macropus peni-
cillatus, Gray.

Nearly at the same time that the ahove characters
appeared in the work quoted, M. Jourdan character-
ized a genus under the name of Heteropus, in a paper
which was brought before the " Academic des
Sciences." t This genus 1 feel no doubt is identical
with Petrogale ; M. Jourdan's characters are : — Legs
moderately long ; tarsi short and thick, covered with
bushy hairs, the under surface broad and destitute of
hairs, but covered with flattened corneous tubercles ;
third and fourth toes furnished with nails like those
of a dog.

Mr. Bennett, however, has the credit of having
first pointed out the characters of this section. (See

Proc. Zool. Soc. for January 1835.)

•

* Magazine of Natural History for November 1 837, Vol. 1.,
(new series) p. 583.

f See " Comptes Rendus " for October 9, 1837, p. 522, and
also the " Annales des Sciences Naturelles," Tom. VII., p. 368

MACROPUS ROBUSTUS. 241

The Kangaroos of this section, I have reason to
believe, are confined to rocky and mountainous dis-
tricts, and display great activity in leaping from point
to point on the ledges of the rocks. Their broad
feet, covered with minute tubercles beneath, giving a
roughness to the surface, combined with the more
compact form of the body, and the bushy tail, are well
adapted to such habits. The tarsi are certainly shorter
than usual in the Kangaroos and more densely cloth-
ed with hairs — beyond these characters I can perceive
none in which the species of the present section can
be distinguished from the preceding. In the struc-
ture of the incisor and molar teeth, and in the form
of the skull, they do not differ more than do the
various species of Halmaturus from each other, nor
so much as do the species of the first section.

The Macropus robustus of Mr. Gould, which 1
shall proceed to describe, possesses the short, broad
feet, having the sole rough, as in M. penicillatus, but
its tail is not bushy : the hair is short and adpress-
ed, as in other Kangaroos, hence this species is inter-
mediate in its characters between the Halmaturi and
the Petrogales.

STRONG-LIMBED KANGAROO.

Macropus robustue.

Macropus (Petrogjrie) robustus, Gould. Proceedings of the
Zoological Society for August 1840.

Size rather less than Macropus major ; tarsi pro*
0

242 THE KANGAROOS.

portionately shorter; the claws, or nails, short;
legs large and very strong ; fur rather short and
harsh, and having a somewhat shaggy appearance,
especially ahout the head ; general colour slate grey,
ohscurely washed with brownish ; the tarsi brown
behind, and gradually shaded into black on the fore
part ; toes black ; fore-feet and wrists black ; upper
side of arm brownish ; hind-legs somewhat sooty,
but pale on the inner side especially near the heel ;
head nearly uniform in colour with the body, slightly
suffused with blackish at the tip of the muzzle on
each side ; a narrow white line is observable around
the angle of the mouth ; lower lip white, and there
is a black patch on the chin; the throat and fore part
of the neck are whitish ; the under parts of the body
are a trifle paler than the upper parts ; the tail is
brown above and pale brown beneath. The fur of
this animal is of a palish slate grey next the skin ; on
the upper parts of the body it is tinted with brownish
externally, and on the outer side of the thighs a slight
purplish-rust tint is visible. The female is much
smaller than the male and of a paler colour; its
general hue is silvery grey ; on the back is a faint
purplish brown hue ; the belly is nearly white, the
cheeks are hoary, (i. e. a mixture of pale grey and
white) ; on the chin is a blackish patch ; the tail is
dirty white, slightly tinted with brownish on the
upper side ; the legs are paler than the body ; the
fore-feet are brown ; toes nearly black ; the hind-feet
are pale but the toes are brown-black.

Length from tip of nose to root of tail, 47 inches ;

MACROPUS PENICILLATUS. 243

tail, 25| inches; heel to end of toes, 11 inches; ear
to tip of muzzle, 8 inches ; length of ear, 3 inches 7
lines. The female measures from the tip of the nose
to the root of the tail, 33 inches ; tail, 26 inches ;
tarsus, 10 inches 2 lines. These dimensions are
taken from unmounted skins, some of them therefore
can only he regarded as approximations. The total
length of the animals in all probability should be
rather more than here mentioned.

Mr. Gould discovered this fine new species in the
interior of New South Wales.

BRUSH-TAILED KANGAROO.

Macropus peniclllatus.
PLATE XXII.

Macropus penicillatus, Gray. Griff. Ann. Kingdom. V. p. 527.
The Hock Kangaroo of the colonists of New South Wales.

Form robust ; tail long and very bushy, especially
the apical half; feet densely clothed with fur; the
claws of the hinder feet hidden by the long hairs ;
ears moderate; fur very long and rather soft; general
colour very deep vinous or purplish-grey ; a deep
rusty hue is observable on the rump and root of tail ;
the chest is purplish-grey, pencilled with grey- white;
the chin is of a pure white colour, and a tolerably
broad white line runs from thence on to the chest ; the
fore part of the belly is purple-grey ; on the hinder
part, below the pouch of the female, and under side of
the tail at the base, a palish rusty-yellow hue prevails ;

244 THE KANGAROOS.

the muzzle and the region of the eye is blackish, the
upper lip white, and a broad purplish-white mark
extends backwards from the angle of the mouth, and
terminates heneath the eye ; the cheeks and hack of
the neck are hoary-grey ; a narrow blackish mark
(sometimes indistinct) runs backwards from the
crown of the head on to the back ; the tail is brown-
black, and is clothed throughout with very long harsh
hairs, those on the apical portion are .about 3 inches
in length ; the base of the tail is covered with fur
like that of the body; the tarsi are brown-black, deep
rich brown at the base, and black over the toes ; on
the outer side of the hind-legs, and on the fore-legs
and part of the body nearest to them, a purplish-black
hue prevails ; the fore-feet are black ; the hairs on
the inner side of the ears are yellowish ; on the outer
side, the ears are well clothed with somewhat ad-
pressed black hairs, at the apical margin, however,
the hairs are palish brown, and at the base of the ear
the hairs are greyish ; the head between the ears is
blackish ; a hoary grey mark is observable on the
sides of the body, towards the base of the fore-legs ;
the hairs on the back are purplish-black at the base,
annulated with white, or rusty-white, near the apex,
and black at the apex ; on the belly the hairs are of
a very pale purplish-grey at the base.

Length from nose to root of tail, 25 inches ; tail,
22 inches ; tarsus, (without the claws) 5 inches 7
lines ; nose to ear, 4^ inches ; ear, 2 inches 2 lines.

This species is known by the names Rock Kangaroo
Brush-tailed Kangaroo, and Mountain Kangaroo.

MACROPUS PENICILLATUS. 245

We learn from Sir Edward Parry, that the M.
penicillatus is found among the Rocks of Liverpool
Plains, New South Wales : — " as several of the same
kind were seen together on more than one occasion/'
says Sir E. Parry,* " they appeared to be gregarious.
They seemed to prefer the neighbourhood of rocky
ground, in which they had holes, and to which, when
hunted, they retreated. The first intimation received
of these animals was, that monkeys were to be seen
in a particular situation : and the manner in which
they jumped about, when he first approached a
number of them, left the same impression on his mind.
They were so wild that he found it impossible, on
his first attempt, to obtain a specimen ; and one which
lie had wounded escaped into its hole ; some months
afterwards, however, after remaining on the spot a
whole night for the purpose, he succeeded in killing
one towards day light, which is the specimen he
presented to the Society."

In the year 183C, a living specimen of this animal
was presented to the Zoological Society's Menagerie
by Captain Deloitte, Corr. Memb. Z. S., where it
lived for about a year, during which time I had fre-
quent opportunities of observing its habits. Its form
was more robust than in the generality of Kangaroos,
and it appeared to be remarkably fond of leaping upon
a narrow ledge or shelf, placed about three feet from
the ground, on which it would sit and balance itself

* Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for 1835

246 THE KANGAROOS.

for some little time, and then return soon to leap
back again, — and I suppose he, or rather she, tried to
believe this shelf was a projecting piece of rock, and
that she was still in her native wilds, — it must have
been severe duty for the imagination. The tail ap-
peared to be used more as a balance to the body,
than as an extra limb to rest upon, as in other Kan-
garoos. Its movements were remarkably quick.

Closely allied to, if not identical with, the present
species, appears to be the animal described by M.
Jourdan under the name

Heteropus albogularls*

In this species the tail is said to be of equal thick-
ness throughout, strong, and covered with harsh
hairs ; the fur is woolly, excepting on the extremity
of the haunches ; on the head is a longitudinal brown
line ; the cheeks are whitish ; the ears are black ex-
ternally, and yellow within ; the throat is white, and
the chest and belly are of a rusty colour ; the neck
and upper parts of the back are grey ; and the ex-
tremity of the limbs and tail are deep brown ; the
last is terminated with white.

The dimensions, reduced to English measure, are
as follows : — Total length, 51 inches 4 lines; fore-
legs, 4f inches; hind-legs, 11 inches 10 lines; body,
23 inches 9 lines ; tail, 22 inches 1 line ; tarsi, 3
inches 2 lines ; skull, 4 inches 4 lines.

* See Campte Rendu des Seances de P Academic des Sciences
for Oct. 9, 1839, p. 522.

MACROPUS BRACHIOTIS. 24?

Inhabits the mountains south-east of Sydney.

In many respects M. Jourdan's description agrees
with M, penicillatus, but that is remarkable for its
bushy tail, a character not pointed out by M. Jourdan;
it moreover has a white stripe on the chest, and has
no white at the tip of the tail, — the last character is
probably an accidental one.

In Mr. Gould's collection, are specimens of a Kan-
garoo from Western Australia, which very nearly
resemble the M. penicillatus, differing only in being
rather smaller, in having the tail rather less bushy,
the dark band on the sides of the body (which is
margined above with white) is more distinct, and
there is no white patch on the chest — I doubt their
being specifically distinct.

SHORT-EARED ROCK KANGAROO.

Macropus brackiotis.

Macropus (Petrogale) brachiotis, Gould. Proc. Zool. Soc. for
October 1840.

This is a species from Swan River, which is closely
allied to the M. peniciUatus, but differs in being of a
smaller size, in having the colouring of the fur paler,
the tail rather less bushy, and in wanting the black
flank mark ; the ears, moreover, are smaller in pro-
portion and less pointed.

Fur rather short, and harsh to the touch ; general
tint grey, slightly washed with rusty brown — the
latter tint is more distinct towards the sides of the
body ; under parts and inner side of limbs dirty yel-

248 THE KANGAROOS.

lowish white ; feet brown ; tarsi grey-brown ; upper
surface of head palish brown ; occiput dusky ; upper
lip dirty white,, and a mark of the same colour runs
backwards, from near the angle of the mouth, under
the eye : near the base of the fore-leg is a brown
patch. Tail well clothed with harsh hairs ; those
on the upper surface of the tail are nearly of the
same general tint as the fur of the body ; on the
under side they are pale-brown ; the apical half of
the tail is furnished with long bushy sooty- black
hairs. The ears are small and pointed.

Length from nose to root of tail, 21 inches; tail,
28 1 inches; tarsus, 5 inches; ear, 1 inch 11 lines;
nose to ear, 3 inches 8 lines.

Besides the foregoing Kangaroos, there are certain
species which inhabit New Guinea, the characters of
which not being published, I am unable to introduce
in this work. These Kangaroos, however, possess
the power of climbing trees, and have been associated
under the generic title Dendrolagus * — I presume
their extremities are considerably modified to suit
them to such habits, and they no doubt form an in-
teresting link between the true Kangaroos and the
Phalangers.

* See the work entitled " Over de Zoogdieren van den Indis-
clien Archipel, door Salomon Muller." In the published parts
of this work, only the names of the animals alluded to are as
yet mentioned. In the table of the New Guinea Marsupials
given in MUller's work, the following species are noticed : —
Phascogale melas, Perameles Doreyanus, Hypsiprymnus Brunii^
Dendrolagus ursinus, and Dend. inustus, Phalanyista maculate,
and Petaurus sciureus.

PHALANGISTIDJE.

PHALANGISTID^E.

AT first sight no two animals appear more opposite
than a Kangaroo and a Phalanger, and yet when we
compare them carefully together, part with part, we
cannot help being convinced that a close affinity exists
between them. Like the Kangaroos they have four
true molars on either side of each jaw, with a more
or less compressed molar in front of them, and there
are two large horizontal incisors in the lower jaw :
the structure of the molars — in some at least — is
very similar, and they have the same two toes on the
hinder foot united. They resemble the Kangaroo-
Rats in possessing a small canine in the upper jaw.
The nasal portion of the skull is shorter, and the
cranial portion longer than in the true Kangaroos,
but as regards the form of the skull, as well as in
possessing a canine, the Kangaroo-Rats afford a con-
necting link.

SKULL OF A SPECIES OF PMlangista.

All the Phalangers are nocturnal in their LaLits ;
they live in trees and are expert climbers, though

250 PHALANGIST1D.B.

not active in their movements. During the day
they remain concealed in the hollows of trees, hut
ahout twilight they quit these hiding and sleeping
places, and climh amongst the branches of the trees
to seek their food, which consists of the young buds,
leaves and fruits; these it would appear are more easy
of digestion or more nutritious, than the food of the
Kangaroos, for the stomach of the present animals is
more simple. M. M. Quoy and Gaimard state, that
the Phalangers of the Islands north of New Holland
feed upon aromatic fruits, hut wrhen some specimens
they had in confinement could not procure this food,
they did not refuse cooked meat. Their flesh is eaten
by the natives, and is said to have a good flavour. In
Van Diemen's Land, they are said to feed chiefly on
the leaves of the Eucalypti, and Mr. Gunn remarks,
that orchards in country places suffer sometimes
from the Opossums eating the leaves and young
branches of the trees.

The hinder-feet of these animals are always fur-
nished with a large opposahle thumb which is nail-
less, besides which there are four well-developed toes,
all armed with large compressed, curved claws ; the
two innermost of these toes are joined together al-
most to the extremity ; they are rather shorter than
the other two toes. On the fore-feet are five well-
developed toes, which, like those of the hind- feet, are
armed with strong, compressed, curved claws ; the
innermost toe is the shortest, and the three central
ones are the longest.

In the various species comprised in the Phalan-

PHALANGISTID^. 251

gistidce we find certain modifications Loth in their
dentition and external characters, upon which genera,
and subgenera have been founded. They are divided
into three genera : those which have a large mem-
brane extended from the sides of the body, arid joined
to the fore and hind-legs, as in the flying Squirrels,
and which enables them to sail in the air like a para-
chute (but not to fly) constitute the genus Petaurus.
To those which have no such membrane, and have
a prehensile tail, the generic term Phalangista*
(Geofroy Saint-Hilaire,)is now restricted; and thirdly,
we have the genus Phascolarctos> containing only one
species, (the Koala) which is at once distinguished
by its want of tail.

The constant teeth in the genus Phalangista are : —
Incisors, f;f ; canines, J:£; false molars, \\\ ; true
molars, |;|.

SIDE VIEW OF TEETH OF UPPER AND LOWER JAW OF A

RC K.CIKS OK J'haldfiyte'lu.

The anterior pair of incisors of the upper jaw are
longer than the rest, separated at the base, and meet

* The same group is called Balantia by liliger, and Cuscus
by Larepede.

252 PHALANGISTID^:.

at the apex ; the canines are sometimes of moderate
size, but generally small, conical and slightly com-
pressed ; the false molar, which is in contact with the
series of true molars, is in some species somewhat
compressed, and presents a nearly even cutting edge,
in others it is as hroad as long, and obtusely pointed;
the true molars are nearly of a quadrate form, and
present each four blunt tubercles; the posterior molar
is always rather less than the rest; the incisors of
the lower jaw, which are in the same nearly horizon-
tal direction as the symphysis menti, are long, pointed,
and have the inner and outer edges sharp. Besides
these teeth, which are found in all the species, there
are some false molars in both jaws which vary both
in number and size. In P. ursina, there is one
canine-like false molar, in front of the contiguous
series of molars on each side of the upper jaw ; of
two very small false molars in front of the series in
the lower jaw, one is placed close to the incisors, and
the second close to the larger molars. In a skull
before me, (of the same animal) I find three of these
small teeth on one side of the lower jaw and two on
the other ; the number of these teeth on either side
of each jaw, situated in the upper jaw between the
canines and the continuous series of molars, and in
the lower jaw between the incisors and the foremost
well-developed molar, in other species of Phalangista
may be thus expressed, — in P. chrysorrhos and P.
maculata J, in P. cavifrons f, P, vulpina \ or J,
and in P. Cookii |.

The genus Phalangista may be divided into two

PHALANGISTID^. 253

subgenera, Phalangista proper, and Cuscus. The
species of the former suhgenus inhabit the continent
of Australia and Van Diemen's Land, and those of
the subgenus Cuscus, appear to be confined to some
of the Islands North of New Holland.

The species of Pkalangista, (using the term in its
restricted sense) have the tail well clothed with hair,
often bushy, excepting on the under surface of the
apical portion ; the muzzle is longer and more attenu-
ated than in Cuscus, and the molar teeth are propor-
tionately smaller ; their fur, moreover, is less woolly
and also less dense, and the ears are larger. In the
species of Cuscus, the tail is destitute of hair, ex-
cepting at the base, and covered with tubercles, and
the ears are small. In Phalangista the lower incisors
are nearly vertical, whereas in Cuscus, the sym-
physis menti forms an obtuse angle with the lower
edge of the rami of the jaw, and the incisors are
directed upwards and forwards, as in the Koala.

In the genus Petaurus, (the flying Phal angers,)
there are three very evident modifications of dentition
observable, and the species have been divided into three
subgenera accordingly. — Petaurus proper, Belideus
(Waterh.) and Acrobata (Desm.) P. Taguanoides
may be regarded as the type of the first of these
sections. Its dentition is : —

Incisors, f ;f ; canines, £:£ ; false molars, f if ; true
molars, |:|=34.

The incisors of the upper jaw are arranged laterally,
the three on either side being placed close together ;
the two foremost are separated from one another by

254 PHALANGISTHXffl.

a space about equal to their diameter ; they are nar-
row at the base, and expanded and somewhat com-
pressed above the base. The next incisor on each
side is larger than the last or posterior one, and about
half the height of the first, narrow at the base, and
wide and truncated at the apex. The third incisor
is small and but slightly wider at the tip than at the
base. The canine is very small and conical. The
first false molar is minute and conical, separated by
a considerable space from the canine and also from
the molars, and has but one fang. The next two
false molars have two fangs ; they are broad at the
base and compressed at the tip ; the foremost presents
an anterior larger, and a posterior small compressed
tubercle ; the third is divided at the tip into three
compressed points. The true molars are nearly
square, but rather longer than broad ; the crown of
each, with the exception of the last, presents four
angular tubercles. In the. last molar there are but
three of these tubercles, two in front and one behind.
The incisors of the lower jaw are large, nearly cylin-
drical at the base ; beyond this, they are somewhat
dilated, flattened, pointed, and have two sharp edges.
There are no minute detached false molars in the
lower jaw. The single false molar on each side is
placed close to the true molars, compressed in front
and expanded behind ; a small anterior tubercle is
separated from the body of the tooth by a slight
transverse incision. The true molars resemble those
of the upper jaw, excepting that they are narrower,
and the last molar has four tubercles instead of three.

PHALANGISTID^. 255

The skull of P. Taguanoide* differs from the skulls
of the species helonging to Belideus, in being smaller
in proportion to the bulk of the animal, in having the
zygomatic arches stronger and flattened at the sides,
in being deeply concave between the orbits, instead
of flat, and in having the palate deeply emarginated
behind — it terminates, in, fact opposite the second
false molar, whereas in Belideus it terminates behind
the line of the posterior molars. The nasal bones
are much shorter, arid the strength of the skull and
lower jaw indicate a greater power in the muscles
connected with mastication.

Section 2. Belideus. — Dentition : Incisors, f ;
canines, i;J ; false molars, |;| ; true molars, |;|=40.
The anterior incisors of the upper jaw are large,
somewhat suddenly dilated immediately above their
insertion in the intermaxillaries, and assuming a
triangular form. In P. flaviventer they are broader
than in either P. sciureus or P. breviceps. The next
incisor on each side is smaller than the posterior one,
narrow at the base, and broad at the apex. The
third incisor is broad, and has a sharp incurved cut-
ting edge. The canine is tolerably large ; separated
by a small space on either side from the false molars
and the incisors, compressed and pointed, and its
anterior and posterior edges are sharp ; the apex
projects beyond the level of either of the molars.
The first molar on each side is rather large, broad,
compressed and pointed, has a very faint indication
of an anterior and posterior lobe, and two distinct
fangs, (which is not the case in the small and cyliu-

258 PHALANGISTID^.

drical corresponding tooth in Petaurus Taguanoides.}
The second false molar is small, short, and compress-
ed, and has a minute anterior lohe. This tooth is
separated by a considerable space from the first false
molar, and by a narrow space from the third. The
latter touches the first true molar, is narrow in front,
and consists chiefly of one triangular and pointed
tubercle. The first true molar on each side is con-
siderably larger than the following molars, each of
which is smaller than the preceding, so that the last
is not equal in bulk to one half of the first. With
the exception of the last, all the true molars possess
four somewhat blunt and rounded tubercles, and in
general appearance very much resemble the corres-
ponding teeth of a Squirrel. The last molar has
but three tubercles, two in front and one behind.

The incisors of the lower jaw are long, compressed,
and pointed, and have the upper and lower edges
sharp ; they are almost horizontal in their direction,
being but slightly curved upwards. Next follows
on each side a series of four small false molars, the
last of which has two fangs, whereas the others ap-
pear to have but one. The true molars nearly
resemble those of the upper jaw, though they are
narrower and longer. The first has a large irregular
anterior lobe, which is higher than the posterior por-
tion of the tooth, which is divided into two tubercles;
the three posterior molars have each four tubercles.

Besides the points of distinction, already alluded
to, between the species of the present section and the
preceding, there are other characters which cannot

PHALANGISTID^E. 257

be considered unimportant. The space occupied by
the grinding teeth of the upper jaw, compared with
the space between the last incisor and the first true
molar in the species of Belideus, is much less than in
Petaurus. In Belideus the molars occupy a space
equal to rather more than two-thirds of that between
the incisors and first true molar; whereas, in Petau-
rus, the four last molars occupy more space than
that which extends from them to the incisors. There
is a corresponding difference in the lower, jaw. In
Petaurus the molars are very nearly equal in size,
whereas in Belideus, they decrease considerably from
the first molar to the last. In Petaurus, again, there
are five molars on each side of the lower jaw oppos-
ed to six in the upper jaw, all of which are fitted for
the mastication of the food ; whilst in Belideus the
molar corresponding to the first on either side of each
jaw in Petaurus is so small, and its crown is so low
that it cannot be used in mastication. The compara-
tively large size of the canines, and the series of small
teeth in front of the molars, (which I always find
present,) will also serve to distinguish the species of
the present section from the preceding, where the
upper margin of the ramus of the lower jaw some-
what suddenly descends in front of the molars, and
the coronoid process is comparatively broad.

Petaurus sciureus may be regarded as the type of
this section, which also contains P. flaviventer and
P. breviceps.

In the third section, which is the subgenus Aero-
bata of Desmarest, the incisors are | ; canines, £:£ ;

258 PHALANGISTID^E

false molars, f :f ; true molars, f ;f =36. The in-
cisors resemble those of Belideus ; the canines are
well developed, long, pointed, and recurved, placed
close to the intermaxillary suture, and even encroach-
ing slightly on the intermaxillary hone. The three
false molars of the upper jaw have each two fangs,
they are compressed, sharply pointed, and, viewed
laterally, present a triangular form.* The first and
second are ahout equal in size, and larger than the
third, the apex of which projects beyond the level of
the crowns of the true molars. Between the first and
second false molars on each side there is a narrow
space; the third molar is placed close to the true
molars ; these, as well as those of the under jaw, re-
semble the true molars of Belideus ; there is, how-
ever, one less on each side of both jaws. The in-
cisors of the lower jaw also resemble those in Belideus.
Behind these incisors there are two minute teeth on

* The small false molars observable in the lower jaw of the
Phalangista, are variable in number in the different species of
that genus, and even in the same animals they sometimes differ
on opposite sides of the jaw, hence we cannot regard these teeth
as important. In Belideus and Acrobata^ however, the case is
different — they are always present in all the species, and some
of them possess double fangs : connected with these teeth we
find, moreover, a very evident modification of the true molars ;
additional interest is added to these modifications when we
find in them a beautiful transition from the vegetable feeding
to the insectivorous type — indeed, the prickly teeth of Aero
bata pygmaa would certainly appear to be better adapted to
an insectivorous diet than to the mastication of vegetable sub-
stances.

PHALANGISTA URSINA. 259

each side, which are followed by two sharply pointed
false molars, the foremost of which is the larger, and
the apex of the second is raised above the plane of
the true molars.

The difference in the form of the false molar teeth
pointed out, together with the reduced number of
true molars,* the slenderness of the zygomatic arch,
combined with the imperfect state of the palate, will
serve to distinguish the species of the present section
from the preceding. Externally the P. pygmceus
(which is the type of M. Desmarest's subgenus) may
be distinguished by its distichous tail.

SECTION, OR SUBGKNUS 1,

Cuscus.

Phalangers with the tail destitute of hair, excepting
at the base.

URSINE PHALANGER.

Phalangisto ursina.
VIGNETTE, TITLE PAGE.
Phalangista ursina, Temminck.

Rather larger than the common cat ; -form strong ;
limbs strong ; ears hidden by the fur ; fur rather

* Strictly speaking the number of true molars is no doubt
the same as in other Marsupials, but here the foremost of the
series assumes the form of the false molars, and is not fitted
for crushing food.

260 PHALANGISTID^E.

long, soft, and very woolly ; all the hairs crooked and
nearly erect. General colour of the far brown -black,
but almost all the hairs are brownish-white at, or
near, the tip ; on the upper and fore part of the back
the black colour prevails ; on the hinder half of the
back, the white colour is most conspicuous, and on
the head, tail, and under part of the body, scarcely
any but the brown-white tint is seen, the hairs on
these parts, however, are brown at the base ; the
ears are furnished chiefly with long dirty yellowish
hairs ; the basal half of the tail is covered with fur
like that of the body, the apical half is devoid of
hair (the naked part is extended about two inches
more on the under side than the upper,) and presents
small scattered tubercles; the feet are naked beneath;
the toes are but sparingly clothed ; the claws are very
large and of a brownish colour.

Length from nose to root of tail, 20 inches ; tail,
19 inches; nose to ear, 3 inches 5 lines; ear, 8 lines;
tarsus, (without including the claws) 3 inches 3 lines.

The above description is taken from a specimen
in the Museum of the Zoological Society. M.
Temminck states, that the young of this species differ
from the old in having the fur of a paler colour, and
that the old specimens are perfectly black ; those of
moderate size are brownish-black, and those which
he supposes to be the young of the year, have the
fur of the upper parts of the body of a rusty-brown
tint ; that on the cheeks, the flanks, and the limbs
yellowish-brown ; and on the under parts yellowish.
It is easily distinguished from the other species of

PHALANGISTA CHRYSORRHOS. 261

the section by the fur being destitute of spots or
markings. Adult animals 3 feet 4 or 6 inches in total
length, of which the tail is from 19 to 20 inches;
the average height of the body is from 9 £ inches, to
9 inches and 10 lines.

This animal is found, in great numbers, in the
northern parts of the Celebes ; the inhabitants know
no varieties in this species ; they eat the flesh. The
Phalangers are seen but little during the day, at
which time they squat on the branches of the trees
and remain hidden beneath the foliage.

YELLOW-RUMPED PHALANGER.

Phalangista chrysorrhot.

Equal to the wild cat (Felis catus) in size ; muzzle
short, upper part on the same line with the forehead ;
ears very short, hidden by the fur and covered
throughout with hair; tail equal to the body and
neck in length, covered with fur above and on the
sides for about two thirds of its length ; the remain-
ing portion naked, wrinkled, and of a yellowish
colour ; fur short, close and woolly ; the longer
silky hairs of the same colour as the ordinary fur ;
the fur on the head is of a pale ashy-grey colour,
but that on the ears is whitish ; all the upper parts
of the body, the flanks, and the outer side of the
limbs are ashy-grey, more or less inclining to black-
ish ; the rump and the upper part of the tail are of
a golden yellow tint, brighter in the adults than in
young individuals ; inner sides of the limbs and the

262 PHALANGISTIDJE.

under parts of the neck are white, the chest is also
white, and this colour extends along the belly ; the
white is separated from the ashy colour which covers
the flanks by a black band in adult specimens, but
in the young this band is less distinct ; the region of
the pouch is of a rusty tint ; the feet are of a bright
rust colour ; the tip of the nose brown ; the claws
yellowish brown, and the hairless portion of the tail
is yellow.

In full grown specimens of this species the head
and body measure about 23 inches, and the tail is
13 inches.

This species inhabits Amboina.

SPOTTED PHALANGER.

Phalangista maculata.

In size equal to the domestic cat; tail nearly equal
to the head and body in length ; the fur is extended
on the upper surface for about half its length, the re-
maining portion is naked, covered with wrinkles, and
of a yellow colour ; the ears are hidden, short, round,
and covered with hairs throughout; the muzzle is
very short, and the forehead is arched; the fur harsh,
short and woolly ; the longer interspersed hairs are
very thinly scattered. In both sexes, and at all ages,
the fur is irregularly spotted with brown and dirty
white; in the young the spots are always less defined,
owing to the interspersed hairs being longer; the
hairs covering the face are harsh, and of a yellowish
or whitish colour ; on the head and the sides of the

PHALANGISTA CAVIFRONS. 263

•

neck the hairs are grizzled with grey and whitish; and
the tuft which covers the ears is generally whitish; the
chin, all the under parts of the body, and the inner
side of the limbs, are pure white, generally immacu-
late ; the feet are of a very bright rusty tint in the
adults, and white in the young ; the hairy portion of
the tail is usually without spots, of a pure white
colour ; the claws are yellow.

The hairs which project beyond the ordinary fur
are often very long in the young animal, and are gene-
rally blackish over the white spots, and whitish over
the brown. Very young individuals are sometimes
entirely grey.

Length from nose to root of tail, 18 inches; tail,
15 inches. The dimensions of some specimens ex-
ceed those here given.

This species lives upon trees, and inhabits the
Islands of Amboina and New Guinea ; its flesh is of
good flavour, and is eaten by the natives. It is sub-
ject to great variation in its colouring.

HOLLOW-FRONTED PHALANGER.

Phalangista caxifrons.

In size equal to the common rabbit; ears not
hidden by the fur of the head, hairy within but
naked without ; forehead concave ; tail equal in
length to the body only ; fur compact and woolly,
white in the male sex, in aged individuals tinted
with yellow ; naked portions of the feet and tail, as
well as the tip of the muzzle, whitish ; the iris of the

264 PHALANGISTID^.

eye is whitish and the pupil is linear and black.
The female has a dusky longitudinal mark on the
back, which commences on the forehead, and termin-
ates before it reaches the rump ; the colour of this
mark is always darker than that of other parts, and
is generally chestnut-brown ; the general tint of the
fur is variable ; in the adults it is yellowish-brown,
hazel, or greyish; in the young it is rusty-grey, some-
times silvery or whitish ; the chin, and all the under
parts of the body, as well as the inner side cf the
limbs, are always white slightly tinted with grey;
the region of the pouch is rust coloured.

Full grown individuals are about 21 inches in
length, without including the tail, which measures
15 inches.

Even when young the female is distinguishable by
the dusky line on the back.

This species inhabits the Islands of Timor and
Amboina.

SECTION 2.
Phalangista proper.

Tail well clothed with fur, and more or less
dense, excepting the extreme point, and part of the
apical portion beneath, the extent of which vanes
somewhat, according to the species.

••'- ;

PHALANGISTA VULPINA. 265

VULPINE PHALANGER.

Phalangista vulpina.
PLATE XXIII.

Phalangista vulpina, Desm.9 Cuv., Temm., &c.

Didelphis vulpina, Shaw, Gen. Zool. 1. pt. 2, p. 503 ; L€L

murine Opossum, (D. lemurina^) ib. p. 487.
Vulpine Opossum, Pennant, Shaw, &c.
\Vha Tapoa Roo, White, Voy. p. 278.

Ears long and somewhat pointed; tail rather longer
than the body, and very bushy, most so at the base;
fur very loose, long and woolly, and not very soft to
the touch ; general colour grey, on the back and
haunches darker, owing to there being very long
black hairs rather plentifully interspersed with the
ordinary fur ; rather less than half of the tail at the
base, is covered with fur of the same character, and
the same greyish hue as that of the body, but beyond
this the hairs are totally black, or smoky black ;
the apical half of the tail beneath, and the extreme
point, are naked, the sides and upper part, however,
are densely clothed with long bushy fur, the hairs on
this part being less compact than at the base ; the
colour of the fur on the head is paler than that of
the body and has a yellow tint, this hue being very
conspicuous on the cheeks ; the muzzle is somewhat
dusky, excepting at the tip, adjoining the naked por-
tion, where the hairs are white ; a narrow space
around the eye is of the same brownish, or dusky
hue as the muzzle ; the chin is brownish, the throat,

266 PHALANGISTIOE.

the whole under parts of the body, and the inner side
of the limhs are dirty yellowish- white, or yellow ; a
large longitudinal patch of rust coloured hairs is
observable on the chest ; the feet are dusky, and the
claws horn coloured ; the ears are nearly naked
within (apparently of a brownish flesh colour ;) ex-
ternally at the base they are densely clothed with
woolly fur like that of the head, this is of a blackish
colour on the upper or fore part of the ear, and white,
or nearly so, on the lower part; the apical portion of
the ear is but sparingly clothed with short brownish
hairs, a considerable space extending inwards from
the outer margin of the ear, as well as a narrow line
along the inner margin, are also but sparingly clothed.

Length from nose to root of tail, 18 inches ; tail,
1 3 inches ; nose to ear, 3 inches 2 lines ; ear, 1 inch
1 1 lines ; tarsus, (the claws not included) 2 inches
7 lines ; fore-foot, (without the claws) 1 inch 1 1
lines.

Nine specimens of this species are now before me,
the greater portion of which are from New South
Wales; one or two, however, are from Van Diemen's
Land, where the species is common. They vary
considerably in colouring ; two young specimens
measuring about one foot in length, (tail not includ-
ed) are rather paler in their colouring than the adults,
they are grey above and nearly white beneath. The
specimen from which the description is taken is a
female; two male specimens differ in having the
under parts of the body, and the cheeks, of a buff-
yellow colour, in having the deep rusty patch on

PHALANOISTA FULIGINOSA. 267

the chest greatly extended, and in having the fur
of the hack and sides of the body, more or less tinted
with rust colour at the base, (instead of heing pale
grey, almost white, as in the female specimen,) on the
sides of the body the rusty hue is conspicuous, the
hairs being of a pale rust colour, and merely tipped
with greyish- white; a deep rusty patch is observable
on the abdomen beneath, near the base of the tail,
and in the midst of this there is a tuft of long stiff
black hairs ; the feet, chin, and tip of the muzzle are
blackish. In some specimens the feet are yellowish.
The region of the pouch of the female is covered
with deep rusty-red hairs, and towards the root of the
tail a tuft of long black hairs, is observable as in
the males ; the feet and hands are naked beneath.

Since the above was written the author has had an
opportunity of examining a large number of speci-
mens of this species from Van Diemen's Laud, and
among these specimens he perceived intermediate
shades of colouring between the ordinary grey speci-
mens, and the sooty black Phalanger which is regarded
as a distinct species, and has received the name of

Phalangista fuliginosa.

P. fuliginosa, Ogilby. Proceedings of the Zoological Society for
September 1831, p. 135.

The general colour of this animal is almost uniform
brown-black ; the chest is bright brown inclining to
rust colour ; the under parts of the body and of the
tail at the base are blackish brown. The fur on the

268 PHALANGISTID^:.

back is pale brown next tbe skin. The size and
proportions are those of P. vulpina.

CUVIER'S PHALANGER.

Phalangista Cuvieri, Gray MSS.

Cookii, F. Cuv. et Geoff. Mamm. Plate xlv.

This Phalanger is of an ashy-grey colour on all
the upper parts of the body and at the base of the
tail ; the remainder of the tail is entirely black ; all
the under parts of the body are yellowish white,
rather deeper on the abdomen and sides of the
cheeks ; on the chest is a longitudinal brown mark,
and the hairs on this part are less woolly than else-
where. All the naked parts are flesh coloured.
Length about 1 foot ; head, 4 inches ; tail, 9 inches.

Rather less than Phalangista vulpina, the general
colour much paler ; ears larger, tail less bushy ; the
upper surface of the head and the back are grey
pencilled with white, the sides of the body are
brown-white, slightly tinted with yellow ; the under
parts of the body are dirty white ; on the chest is a
rusty patch ; the limbs are externally of a pale ash
colour, the feet are blackish ; about three inches of
the tail at the base is coloured as the body, and the
remaining portion is blackish ; about four inches of
the apical portion, beneath, is naked, and the extreme
point is entirely destitute of hair. The muzzle, as
far back as the eye, is blackish ; the cheeks faintly
tinted with yellow. The ears are very long and

PHALANGISTA XANTHOPUS. 269

narrow, of a pale flesh colour, nearly naked on the
inner side ; externally they are furnished with woolly
fur like that of the body, hut of a smoky black colour,
excepting near the outer margin, where they are of
a dirty white colour; the apical portion (a space of
about 4- lines) is naked, and a narrow naked space
extends down the outer margin. All the fur of the
body is whitish at the base. Length from nose to
root of tail, 16 inches 6 lines ; tail, 13 inches 6 lines ;
nose to ear, 3 inches 2 lines ; ear, 2 inches 3 lines.
The above description is taken from a specimen
in the British Museum, which certainly appears to
be the same species as that figured in M. M.
Geoffrey and F. Cuvier's work, under the name of
P. Cookii, but this name has been long used for a
very different animal. The present species very
nearly agrees with the P. vulpina, but I am inclined
to agree with Mr. J. Gray that it is distinct, and have
therefore adopted his MS. name.

YELLOW-FOOTED PHALANGER.

Phalangista xanthopus.

Phalangista xanthopus, OgiVby. Proceedings of the Zoolo-
gical Society of London for September 1831, p. 135.

Ears long and somewhat pointed, nearly naked
within ; externally densely clothed with fur like that
of the head, but for the most part of a white colour,
on the fore part of the base, however, the fur is
black; the apex and space near the outer margin are

2?0 PHALANGISTID^E.

but sparingly clothed ; the tail is scarcely as long as
the body, covered with fur of nearly the same charac-
ter as that of the body, but rather less dense, very
thick and bushy at the base, and tapering somewhat
suddenly to the apex ; the fur of the body is very
long, somewhat woolly and rather soft; its general
tint is deep ashy grey, obscurely mottled with white;
the longest hairs on the back are black, and as they
are tolerably abundant they give to that part a deeper
hue; a narrow space around the eye, and the muzzle
are dusky; the head is of a paler hue than the body;
the cheeks are whitish, obscurely tinted with yellow;
the chin is blackish on each side ; the throat, under
parts of the body, and inner side of the limbs, are
dirty white ; a small rusty patch is observable on the
chest ; the feet are pale, slightly tinted with yellow,
but the toes of the fore-feet are somewhat suffused
with brown ; the tail is of the same tint at the base
as the body ; in the middle it is black, and a space,
of about two inches in length, at the apex is white ;
nearly three inches of the apical portion beneath, and
the extreme point are naked ; the hairs of the
moustaches are black ; the claws are of a very pale
horn colour.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 6 inches ; tail,
10 inches 6 lines; nose to ear, 2 inches 9 lines ; ear,
1 inch 8 lines ; tarsus, 2 inches ; fore-foot, 1 inch
1 line.

This species inhabits " the interior of Australia,
from Tron-Bark Range, near the Glenelg River/'
The authority for this Habitat is the Catalogue

PHALANOISTA CANINA. 9?l

of the Australian Museum, published at Sydney in
1837.

The specimen from which the foregoing description
is taken, is also the original of Mr. Ogilby's descrip-
tion. Like Phalangista vulpina, and P.fuliginosa,
this species has long ears, and a very bushy tail, it is
however, of a smaller size than either of these species,
being scarcely equal to a rabbit in size, the tail is
rather shorter in proportion, and decreases in diame-
ter more suddenly from the base to the apex; its
colouring is, moreover, different, being black in the
middle and white at the apex.

CANINE PHALANGER.

Phalangista canina.

Phalangista canina, Ogilby. Proceedings of the Zoological
Society of London for December 1836, p. 191-2.

Ears short and rounded, nearly naked within ; ex-
ternally furnished at the base with fur of the same
character as that of the head, and of a blackish hue,
but towards the posterior margin whitish ; tail very
bushy, nearly equal to the body in length ; fur
moderately long, dense, and somewhat woolly, gene-
ral tint rather deep brownish- grey, grizzled with
whitish ; the hairs on the upper parts of the body
being annulated with that colour near the apex; chin
brownish on either side ; the throat, chest, (with the
exception of a narrow brownish longitudinal mark in
the middle,) under parts of the body and inner side

272 PHALANGISTID^:.

of the limbs dirty white ; a narrow space round the
eye, and the muzzle are dusky; the feet are blackish j
a small portion of the tail at the base is coloured as
the body, the thick bushy fur on all the remaining
portion is black; about one-third of the apical portion
of the tail, and the extreme point are naked ; mou-
staches black ; claws of the feet pale horn colour.

Length from nose to root of tail, 22 inches; tail,
about 13^ inches; from tip of nose to ear, 3^ inches;
ear, about 1 inch 2 lines; tarsus, 3^ inches; fore-
foot, 2 inches 2 lines.

The specimen from which the above description
is drawn, and which is the only one I have seen, is
the original of Mr. Ogilby's description, and was
procured in New South Wales, in the country beyond
Hunter's River, about eighty miles north of Sydney
It is about the same size as Phalangista vulpina, and
has the same thick bushy tail, but may at once be
distinguished from that species by its short rounded
ears ; the cheeks, moreover, want the yellow tint
which is always found in P. vulpina.

PHALANG1STA COOKII-

273

SECTION 3.

FscudocJieirus, Ogilby.

Plialangers with the tail
less densely clothed with
hair than in the Phalangers
proper ; the apical portion
naked beneath ; fore-feet
with the two inner toes on
a different plane to the three
outer, and slightly opposed
to them.

• To this section belongs
the P. CookiiyP.viverrinvs,
and perhaps also the P. nan a.
Mr. Gray applies the name
Hepoona to this section ; it
had however previously re-
ceived from Mr. Ogilby the
name Pseudocheirus*

FORE AND HTVD-FOOT OP

Phalangista Cookii*

274 PHALANGISTIDJ5.

COOK'S PHALANGER.

Phalangista CooHi.
PLATE XXV.

Phalangista Cookii, Cuvier, Regne Animal 1, p. 183.

Temminck, Desmarest^ Lesson <J" Fischer.

Banksii, Gray. Annals of Natural History for April

1838, p. 107.
White-tailed Opossum, Shaw. General Zoology., VoL I~,

part 2, p. 504.
New Holland Opossum, Pennant. History of Quadrupeds.

Ear small and rounded, nearly naked within ;
externally > well clothed with fur of a bright rust
colour, assuming a deeper tint at the root of the ear,
and a yellowish white hue at the posterior or lower
margin, where it forms a kind of fringe. Tail as
loxig as the head and body taken together, but
scantily clothed with hair, excepting at the base
where a space of about 2| inches in extent is cover-
ed with fur like that of the body, but which gradually
diminishes in quantity as it recedes from the root.
Fur moderately long, of tolerable length and slightly
woolly ; general tint of upper parts of body rusty-
grey ; on the head, limbs, sides cf the body, and
sides and under part of the tail at the base, a brilliant
rusty-yellow hue prevails ; a small white spot is ob-
servable on the cheeks, situated a little behind the
eye ; around the eye and on the sides of the muzzle,
the fur assumes a somewhat deeper hue than on
other parts of the head ; the chin, throat, under

PHALANGISTA COOKIT. 2?5

parts of the body and inner side of the limbs at the
base, are yellowish white ; the hairs covering the
fore-feet are of a slightly deeper and less bright colour
than those on the legs, and those on the hind-feet
are of a dirty yellowish tint ; the tail, excepting at
the base, is of a dusky brown colour, but the tip is
covered with white hairs. The moustaches are black,
and the claws are nearly white.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 3^ inches ; tail,
12 inches; nose to ear, 2 inches 4 lines; ear, 9£
lines ; tarsus, 1 inch 8 lines ; fore-foot, 1 inch 1 line.

Habitat, New South Wales.

This is the " Phalanger de Cook " of the Regne
Animal, as may be plainly seen even by the short
•description there given. I may add, moreover, that a
careful description, taken by myself from the original
•of Cuvier's description, agrees perfectly with the
present animal — Cuvier, however, is in error in re-
ferring to Cook's plate for an illustration of this
species.

The description of the Phalangista Cookiivf Tem-
minck's " Monographies de Mammalogie" also agrees
with the present species — -since Temminck says te les
flancs et les quatre exrentetes -sont roussatres," a*cha-
racter which distinguishes it from the following ; he
is wrong, however, in giving the habitat of Van Die-
men's Land,*

* Most authors give Van Diemerfs Land as the habitat of
this species, but I think this error arises from the former one,
of supposing it to be identical with the animal figured in Cook's
Voyage. The exact locality of the Paris specimen may not
fcave been knowa.

PHALANGISTIDvE.

We may add,, also,, that it is the Phalangista Cookii
of Desmarest, " Mammalogie/'-p. 268, and of Lesson,
" Manuel de Mammalogie" p. 218, since both these
authors describe the animal as " gris roussatre" &c.

Phalangi&ta Cookii is closely allied to P. viverrina,
but differs in being rather smaller, in having the tail
less densely clothed with hairs, and the feet pale in-
stead of black, or nearly black. It may, moreover, be
at once distinguished by the bright rusty red colour-
ing of the head, limbs, and sides of the body. In
young individuals there is an abundance of long black
hairs interspersed with those of the ordinary fur on
the upper parts of the body ; a young specimen before
me has more than half the tail covered with rusty
white hairs ; in two other specimens there is but a
small portion of the tail which is white.

I have been careful in consulting works for the
synonyms of this species, and feel certain that the
descriptions given by the authors quoted, refer to the
present animal. The first scientific specific name
that I can find for it is that given at the head of this
description, and to me it appears of but little import-
ance whether authors be wrong in referring it to the
figure in Cook's Voyage or not. The descriptions
were not taken from the plate.

PHALANGISTA VIVEBKINA.

V1VERRINE PHALANGER*

Phalangista viverrina.
PLATE XXIV.*

Phalangista viverrina, Ogilly. Proceedings of the Zoological

Society of London for November 1 837.
Phaiangista Cookii, Gray. In the Annals of Natural History,

or Magazine of Zoology and Botany for April 1838.

Ears short and rounded, nearly naked within, but
clothed with woolly fur on the posterior part ; this
fur is white, excepting on the fore part of the ear,
and also at the root, where it is brown ; a patch of
white hairs, adjoining those of the ear, is observable
immediately under the ear ; tail not bushy, rather
longer than the body ; at the base, covered with fur
of the same character as that of the body, but about
three inches from the root, the fur of the tail is less
woolly, and cons'derably shorter; its length gradually
decreases to the tip of the tail, where the hairs are
very short ; the fur of the body is long, loose, and
somewhat woolly and soft ; its general tint is brown-
ish-grey, and on the under parts of the body, and
inner sides of the limbs at the base, white; the muzzle
is blackish, and the cheeks are paler than other parts
of the head ; a small white spot is situated on the
cheek, a little behind the eye ; the fur of the tail is
coloured like the body at the base, blackish in the

* For « Pkalangista Buinteiif on Plate 24, read "Phalangista
viverrina."

278 PHALANGISTID.fi.

middle and white at the apex, the space occupied
by white hairs is about 4 inches in length, — but this
is variable ; the feet are blackish.

Length from nose to root of tail, 15 inches; tail,
13 inches; nose to base of ear, 2 inches 5 lines; ear,
11 lines.

No doubt this is the Phalangista figured in Cooke's
last voyage, PI. 8, yet it certainly is not the species
generally called P. Cookii by authors, though authors
have generally believed that that name was applied
to a species agreeing with Cook's figure. The fact
is, this and the following species had been confounded
until Mr. Ogilby pointed out the differences in the
Proceedings referred to at the head of this description;
he at the same time noticed the difference of habitat
of the two species. The present animal inhabits Van
Piemen's Land, whilst the previously described species
appears to be confined to the Continent of Australia.
Subsequently, Mr. Gray, in the Annals of Natural
History, proposed that this species, being the one
figured by Cook, should be called Cookii) and that
confounded with it, Banksii. The two names pro-
posed by Mr. Gray, would certainly be well applied,
since it appears that the latter species was discovered
by Sir J. Banks, in Captain Cook's first voyage ; * it
would, however, now create much confusion were Mr.
Gray's proposal to be adopted.

In my notes I have a description, precisely agree-
ing with the present animal, taken from a specimen

* See Annals of Natural History for June 1838, p. 294,

PHALANGISTA NANA. 279

in the Museum at Paris, — it was without a name, hut
on the bottom of the stand I found the following
note, " Nouvette Hollande, expedition de I' Astrolabe."
It is probably the specimen referred to by Cuvier, in
the second edition of the Eegne Animal, as the
" Pkalanger de Bougainville" I mention this be-
cause there has been some little discussion (in the
Annals of Natural History) relating to this, and the
next described species.

Mr. Gunn, in the Annals of Natural History for
April 3838, states that this species, (which is called
P. Cookii, with a note of doubt) " is common near
Launcestown, and is there usually called Ring-tailed
Opossum, as a specific name."

PIGMY PHALANGER.

Phalangista nana.

PLATE XXVI.

Phalangista nana, Geof. Desm. Mamm.
Phalangista gliriformis, Bell. Transactions of the Linnaean
Society, Vol. xvi., p. 121, PI. 13.

The general form of this animal resembles that of
the common dormouse; but it is larger, broader, and
more depressed. The head is broad across the
ears, from whence it tapers to the nose, which is
somewhat pointed ; the nostrils are narrow and of a
semicircular form; the upper jaw, which is elongated
overhangs the under, and almost entirely conceals it;
the eyes are very large, remarkably prominent, and
of a jet black colour; the ears are of considerable

280 PHALANGISTIDJE.

size, erect, totally destitute of hair, and of an uniform
mouse colour ; the fur is very soft and thick, and its
general hue is rufous-grey ; the tinder parts are more
sparingly covered with fur of a pale yellowish-grey
colour, the yellow predominating at the sides, and
especially on the throat ; the general colour of the
face is also yellowish ; the sides of the neck as well
as the throat are huff; there is a hlackish ring around
the eye, and a darkish ring partially surrounds the
ears at the anterior part, interrupted hy a distinct
white spot behind each ; the feet are almost entirely
concealed hy the fur when the animal is at rest, and
even when in an active state, the breadth of the body,
combined with the length of the fur, and the extent
to which the skin of the sides is attached to the legs,
namely as far as the carpi and tarsi, gives it very
much the appearance of a Petaurus, to which this
species evinces a remarkable approximation ; the tail
is nearly as long as the head and body together, and
is remarkably broad and thick at the base, to more
than half an inch from the origin, at which part it
becomes contracted, and then gradually tapers to the
extremity; it is hairy, being more thickly covered on
the upper part, and especially at the base, where it
partakes of the general colour of the upper parts of
tbe body, becoming more scantily furnished towards
the point, and there is on the under part, at the
extremity, a space about half an inch in length, which
is entirely naked ; the tail is more or less prehensile
throughout its whole length, but especially towards
the extremity.

PHALANGISTA NANA. 281

Length of head and body, 3 inches 10 lines; tail,
3 inches 6 lines ; breadth of tail at the root, G lines ;
ear, 5 lines ; breadth of ear, .5 lines.

From New Holland, but the precise locality not
known.

The above description is taken from Mr. Bell's
account with some trifling omissions. This account
has the great advantage of having been drawn up from
living specimens. I have therefore devoted more
than usual space to the descriptive portion. Mr. Bell's
account of the habits of these animals when in con-
finement is very interesting.

t( In their habits they are extremely like the dor-
mouse, feeding on nuts and other similar food, which
they hold in their fore paws, using them as hands.
They are nocturnal, remaining asleep during the
whole day, or, if disturbed, not easily roused to a
state of activity ; and coming forth late in the even-
ing, and then assuming their natural rapid and viva-
cious habits ; they run about a small tree which is
placed in their cage, using their paws to hold by the
branches, and assisting themselves by their prehensile
tail, which is always held in readiness to support
them, especially when in a descending attitude. Some-
times the tail is thrown in a reverse direction, turned
over the back, and at other times, when the weather
is co.d, it is rolled closely up towards the under part,
and coiled almost between the thighs. When eating
they sit upon their hind quarters, holding the food in
their fore-paws, which, with the face, are the only
parts apparently standing out from the ball of fur, of

282 PETAURUS,

which the body seems at that time to he composed.
They are perfectly harmless and tame, permitting
any one to hold and caress them, without ever
attempting to hite, hut do not evince the least attach-
ment either to persons about them or even to each
other."

The small size of Phalangista nana, according to
the descriptions, some slight differences in the colour-
ing, and principally the phrase " les oreilles sont ar-
rondies et couvertesde poils" in Temminck's descrip-
tion, induced Mr. Bell to believe the species from
which his description is taken is distinct. I have,
however, examined the original of P. nana contained
in the Paris Museum, and also the originals of Mr.
Bell's description, and I cannot perceive any specific
difference. Temminck should have said that the ears
are covered with very minute hairs, for so small are
they that to the naked eye they appear naked.

GENUS PETAURUS.

Phalangers with a membrane extending from limb
to limb, and with the tail densely clothed with fur
throughout.

SUBGENUS 1.

Petaurus proper.

PETAURUS TAGUANOIDES. 283

TAGUAN PETAURUS, OR FLYING OPOSSUM,

Petaurus Taguanoides*

PLATE XXVII.
Petaurus, or Petaurista, Taguanoides, Desm. Mamm. p. 269.

Head very sLort ; ears tolerably large, entirely
covered externally, (with the exception of a very
narrow space at the apical portion,) with long dense
fur like that of the head ; tail longer than the head
and body taken together, cylindrical, average diameter
(including the fur) about 2 inches ; flank membrane
terminating apparently at the elbow, and on the hind-
er legs extending to the base of the thumb ; fur im-
mensely long, loose, and soft, average length on the
back about 2 inches ; general colour brownish-black ;
on the head and back of ears brownish ; the feet and
muzzle are almost black ; the hairs covering the flank
membrane above are annulated with brownish white
near the point, giving to this part a grizzled appear-
ance ; throat, chest, the whole under parts of the
body and flank membrane, and the inner side of the
limbs impure white ; the long hairs on the back of the
ear, near, and at the lower margin, are white, or
whitish, and form a conspicuous fringe ; the hairs
covering the hind-feet, and along the back of the leg
to the root of the tail are very long ; the tail is of a
brownish-black colour, but is almost always paler at
the root, and for a considerable space along the under
surface — here the hairs are sometimes whitish and at
others brown- white or yellowish.

284 PETAURUS.

Length from nose to root of tail, 20 inches ; tail,
22 inches; nose to ear, 2 inches 2 lines; ear, 1 inch
4 lines ; tarsus, 2 inches ; fore-foot, 1 inch 7 lines.

Habitat, New South Wales — " Port Macquarie."
Catalogue of the Australian Museum — called the
Grey Flying Squirrel.

This animal varies considerably in its colouring,
and is often of a greyish-black colour above, the
dark hairs of the upper parts of the body beir.g more
or less pencilled with grey ; the flank membranes
are always of a paler hue than the back, and the
limbs are black externally. Specimens which are
totally white, and others which are white and irre-
gularly variegated with grey, are not rare.

This species is at once distinguished from all others
of the genus,* by the ears being entirely covered ex-
ternally with long and dense fur ; they are broader,
and not nearly so long in proportion as in P. flavi-
venter, which approaches it most nearly in size.

PERON'S PETAURUS.

Petaurus Peronii.

Petaurista Peronii, Desmarest. Nouveau Diet, d* Hist, Nat.

2d Edit., Tom. xxv., p. 404.
. Mammalogie, sp. 420, p. 270.

General tint of the body above, brown ; beneath,
white ; head brown, particularly around the eyes ;

* P. Peronii has the same character, but I regard that as
the young of the present species.

PETAURUS PERONII. 285

muzzle tinted with yellowish ; ears much pointed,
brown above, white on the lower part, and this
colour is extended somewhat on to the cheeks ; chin
brown ; flank membranes above, brown variegated
with grey ; beneath, and the outer edge of the fore-
feet, extending to the end of the fingers, of a brown
colour; rump brown and somewhat tinted with yel-
lowish ; the thighs externally, and hinder-feet, of a
deep brown colour ; tail cylindrical, rather longer
than the body, of a brown colour, excepting at the
tip, which is yellowish-white ; the throat, inner side
of the limbs, belly, and under side of the flanks yei-

10 wish-white.

Length of head and body, 8 inches 2 lines ; tail,
1) inches 6 lines — French measure.

Habitat, New Holland.

The above is a Translation of the description given
by Desmarest, who adds, that the flank membrane,
instead of being extended as far as the wrist, as in P.
Tayuanoides, or on to the outer finger, as in P.sciurea,
terminates at the elbow.

In the Museum at Paris I found a specimen which
agreed so precisely with the description just given,
both as to colour and size, as to lead me to suppose it
is the original of M. Desmarest's account. It appear-
ed to me to be a young individual of P. Taguanoides,
its length in English measurement is 9 inches ; tail,

1 1 inches : ear, 1 0^ lines. The ear is densely clothed
with fur on the outer side, as in P. Taguanoides.
The character noticed by Desmarest in the flank
membrane I cannot put much faith in, for in all the

286 PETAURUS.

specimens of P. Taguanoides examined by me the
flank membrane terminates at the elbow, and not
at the wrist; and as regards the white tip to the tail,
I may remark, that in P. breviceps I have seen speci-
mens in which the tail is so coloured, though it is not
a general character in that species. On the under
side of the stand of this specimen was written
" Phcdangista macroura."

SUBGENUS 2.

Belideus.

YELLOW-BELLIED PETAURUS.
Petaurus flaviventer.

Petaurista flaviventer, Desmarest. Mammalogie, p. 269.
Didelphis Petaurus, Shaw. Gen. Zool. Vol. i., p. 496.

Ears long and pointed, nearly naked, excepting
externally at the base, where they are tolerably well
clothed with fur; tail considerably longer than the
head and body taken together, bushy and thickest at
the base ; fur very long, loose, and soft; general colour
greyish-browrn, sometimes with a yellowish tint; head
dusky, very dark around the eye, and on the muzzle
and chin ; there is also a dark patch at the base of
the ear; a broad blackish mark extends from the
occiput along the middle of the back ; the limbs ex-
ternally, feet, and flank membrane above, are black
or nearly so ; the edge of the membrane just men-
tioned is fringed with dirty yellowish hairs ; the

PETAURUS FLAVIVENTER. 287

ander parts of the body are of a dirty yellow colour,
generally very pale, and sometimes dirty yellow-
white ; near the outer margin the flank membrane
beneath is always dusky or greyish ; a fringe of
longish hairs, which descends from the posterior and
lower margin of the ear, is for the most part brown-
ish-white, but the remaining fur on the back of the
ear at the base, is blackish. The tail is generally
coloured like the upper surface of the body, but the
apical portion is black. The fur on the hinder-feet,
and that on the back of the leg, is long. The outer
toe of the fore-foot is as long as that which is next
to it ; in P. Taguanoides it is decidedly shorter.

Length from nose to root of tail, 1 4 inches ; tail, 1 9
inches; nose to ear, 2 inches 3 lines; ear, 1 inch 9 lines;
tarsus, 1 inch 7^ lines ; fore-foot, 1 inch 6 lines.

Habitat, New South Wales — "Scrubs near Liver-
pool Plains/' according to the Catalogue of the Aus-
tralian Museum.

Easily distinguished from other species of the genus,
described in this work, by the great length of its ears.

The Hepoona Roo of White's Journal, the original
also of Shaw's Didclphis Petaurus, is still in existence
in the Museum of the College of Surgeons ; it proves
to be the present species, and not the P. Taguanoides,
as has always been supposed. This ought therefore
to be regarded as the type of Shaw's genus Petaurus
— if authors are right in attributing that genus to
Shaw, — but I do not perceive that he ever regarded
the animal in question as constituting a genus, or
that he applied the name in a generic sense.

238 PETAUKUS.

LONG-TAILED PETAURUS.

Petaurus macrourus.

\ Shaw. Zoology of New Holland, Tab.
Didelphys macroura, I 5J . \

T x • i j r\ S xu., p. 33, and General Zoology,

Long-tailed Opossum, «

" This species is about the size of the black rat,
(Mus rattus,) and is of a dark or brownish-grey
colour above, and whitish beneath ; the head and
neck are also whitish, but a dusky stripe runs along
the top of the head almost to the nose; the ears are
whitish, moderately large, and slightly rounded ;
the upper parts of the fore-feet are whitish ; and
the lower half of the tail is of a deeper black than
the beginning.'*

The above is Shaw's description of the Long-tailed
Opossum, and as I find nothing added to it (imperfect
as it is,) in the various works on Mammalia, I pre-
sume the animal has not made its appearance in
modern times, — though, from the Catalogue of the
Australian Museum, it appears that two specimens,
(a male and young female,) which are supposed to
be of the present species, are there deposited, and
regarded as distinct from the other species — all of
which that Museum appears to possess — the habitat
given is Bathurst.

Shaw says, " the dried skin of this species was
sent over by Mr. White, and the specimen figured in
the Zoology of New Holland was described from it."

It would appear to belong to the same section as

mBm-

PETAURUS SCIUREUS. 289

I\ sclureus (Btln/eifs.) In the figure given by Shaw
in his New Holland Zoology, which is said to he of
the natural size, the ears are represented as large,
and the tail is slender, and nearly twice the length
of the head and body taken together. I strongly
suspect it is the young of Petaurus flamventer : if
it be full grown, the great length of the tail, and
especially the comparative slenderness of this organ,
and the small size of the animal, would indicate that
it is very distinct from either of the other species here
described.

SQUIRREL-LIKE PETAURUS.
Petaurut sciureus.
PLATE XXVIII.

Didelphis sciurea, Shaw. Zoology of New Holland, Tab. II,

p. 29.
Petaurus sciureus, Desm. Diction. D'Hist. Nat. 2d Edit. Tom.

25, p. 403.

Ears moderate, nearly naked excepting at the base
externally, where they are furnished with fur of the
same character as that of the head, and of a blackish
colour, with the exception of those hairs which spring
from the posterior margin, which are white ; tail
about equal to the head and body in length ; and,
owing to the great length of the fur with which it is
furnished, nearly equal to it in breadth; fur extremely
soft and of moderate length ; general tint of the upper
parts ashy-grey ; a blackish line extends from near

290 PETAURITS.

the tip of the muzzle, along the middle of the back
(where it is broader and less defined,) nearly to the
root of the tail ; the upper surface of the flank mem-
brane, and the anterior and posterior portion of the
fore and hind-legs, are black or brown-black ; a
brownish black patch is observable just below the
ear ; the muzzle is dusky, and the eye is surrounded
by black ; the cheeks are greyish, and sometimes the
top of the head is very pale ; the feet are dusky-grey,
sometimes pale ; the chin, throat, inner side of limbs
and under parts of the body are white, or nearly so ;
the under side of the flank membrane near the outer
margin is dusky ; the margin is fringed with white
hairs ; the tail is smoky grey, blackish at the tip.

Length from nose to root of tail, 8 J inches ; tail,
8^ inches; nose to ear, 1^ inches; ear, 9^ lines;
tarsus, (without the claws) 1 inch 3^ lines ; fore-
foot, 1 inch f lines.

Habitat, New South Wales, — " Cow pastures"
according to the Catalogue of the Australian Museum.
It is called, by the Colonists, the Sugar Squirrel, and
is also known by the name " Norfolk Island flying
Squirrel," &c.

SHORT-HEADED PETAURUS.

Petaurus breviceps.

PLATE XXIX.

Petaurus (belideus) breviceps, Waterh. Proceedings of the
Zoological Society of London for November 1838, p. 152

Head short ; ears moderate, almost naked, being

•

PETAURUS BEEVICEPS. 291

very sparingly furnished with dusky hairs, excepting
at the hase externally, where they are covered with
fur like that of the head, and of a dusky colour ; at
the hinder margin, however, the fur is white, or
nearly so ; tail rather exceeding the head and hody
in length, cylindrical and but moderately bushy ; fur
very soft and moderately long, its general tint is ashy
grey obscurely mottled with whitish ; a dusky longi-
tudinal line extends from between the eyes along the
back ; on the back, however, it is indistinct, and
towards the hinder part is obliterated ; the hairs
covering the tail are nearly of an uniform ashy-grey
colour, somewhat inclining to dusky, rather more
than two inches of the apical portion of the tail is
covered with black hairs ; the flank membrane is
blackish above, but white at the margin ; the white
fringe which margins tkis membrane, extends along
the hinder part of the arm, and terminates at the tip
of the little finger ; the upper surface of the hand, or
fore-foot, is smoky-black; the hind-foot is of a deep
grey colour, inclining to blackish ; a dusky mark is
observable on the posterior part of the hind-legs, and
the hairs which cover this part are very long ; the
external margin of the foot is provided with a fringe
of hairs ; both feet and hands are naked beneath, the
heel is partially clothed with hairs beneath; the under
parts of the body and head are whitish-grey.

Length from nose to root of tail, 6 inches 6 lines;
tail, 7 inches ; tarsi, (claws included) 1 inch 1 line ;
ear, 9 lines.

This species inhabits New South Wales; and in

292 PETAURUS.

some parts must be exceedingly abundant. Upon
examining two large packages of skins, which I have
reason to believe came from New South Wales, I
found them to consist chiefly of this species, the
remainder were P. sciureus. In some specimens
the tip of the tail is white, — they all agree in having
a cylindrical tail. In colouring the P. breviceps veiy
much resembles P. sciureus, it is however of a much
smaller size, the tail is more slender, and the skull
is proportionately broader and shorter than in that
species, as will be seen by the following dimen-
sions : —

P. breviceps. P. sciureus.

Ing. Lin. Ins. Lin.

Total length of skull, 1 3£ 1 10

Length of nasal bones, ..05$ 0 7£

Length of frontal, 0 6J 0 8|

Length of palate, . . . 0 8 0 1 1 £

Width of skull, ... 1 0 1 21

In a Catalogue of the Specimens of Natural History
&c., contained in the Australian Museum of Sidney,
published in that town in 1837, a species of Petauriu
under the name of Peronii has the following note
attached to it. " This species has been supposed to be
a young specimen of P. sciureus, and indeed it bears
a very close resemblance to that species in its mark-
ings, but having bred in confinement, it is now suffi-
ciently established to be a distinct species." From
this it appears that the animal referred to is smaller
than P. sciureus, having been supposed to be the
young, but nevertheless greatly resembles that ani-

irus /"///•'
cGfew South Wales

PETAURUS PYGM^US. 293

mal. As these observations so perfectly apply to our
present animal, there can scarcely be a doubt that it
is it which is referred to, and if so, we have additional
reasons for believing P. breviceps distinct from P.
sciureus. In the Catalogue referred to, the habitat
of the animal mentioned is " Scrubs near Hunter s
River." The specimen from which the above de-
scription is taken, and which is now in the Museum
of the Zoological Society, is also from the neighbour-
hood of Hunter's River, and was sent to this country
by Charles Coxen, Esq., who is given as the donor of
the specimen in the Australian Museum.

There are reasons to doubt that the P. breviceps is
identical with the P. Peronii of Desmarest : see the
observations accompanying the description of that
species.

8UBGBNUS 3.

Acrobata.
PIGMY PETAURUS.

Petaurus pygmceuA.

PLATE XXX.
Didelphis pygmaea,5Aart?. Zoology of New Holland Tab. 2, p. 5.

Ears rather small, somewhat sparingly furnished
with long pale hairs on the inner side; the outer side
is also furnished with longish pale yellowish hairs, at
the base they are covered by fur like that of the
head, and of a blackish colour, excepting near the

294 PHASCOLARCTOS.

lower margin where they are white ; fur soft, and of
moderate length ; general colour grey, more or less
wrashed with yellow ; the upper and under sides of
the flank membranes, and the outer side of the limbs
is deep grey ; a dark patch surrounds the eye, and is
extended forward on to the muzzle ; the under parts
of the head and body are white ; the tail is brown,
nearly equal in length to the head and body, flat, of
even width throughout, or very nearly so, the hairs
covering the upper and under surface are small and
adpressed, those on the sides are comparatively long
and arranged like the barb of a feather ; the average
width of the tail is about 4 lines.

Length from nose to root of tail 3^ inches ; tail, 2
inches 10 lines; ear, 3^ lines.

Habitat, New South Wales. It is called by the
Colonists the flying mouse, and, according to the
Appendix to Captain King's " narrative of a Survey
of the Intertropical and Western coasts of Australia,"
it is " exceedingly numerous in the vicinity of Port
Jackson," where it is called the Opossum Mouse.

GENUS PHASCOLARCTOS.

THE dentition in Phascolarctos differs but little
from Phalangista : — -the incisors and canines are
smaller in proportion, and the molars are much
larger. As in the Phalangers, the crown of each
true molar presents four tubercles, but these are
more angular and of a pyramidal form. Correspond-

PLAT

at 'i •//'. > / '"•*>

V*- of
TJNrVEBSrrX

PHASCOLARCTOS FUSCUS. 295

ing with the increased size of the molars, we find
in the skull evidences of greater strength in the
muscles, and especially in the great depth and thick-
ness of the rami of the lower jaw, the angle of which
is less twisted inwards than in other Marsupials. The
numher of teeth may be thus expressed : — Incisors,
* ; canines, J:£ ; false molars, {'.\ ; true molars |ij
=30. The absence of tail in the Koala renders it
easily distinguishable from other Phalangistidce.

KOALA.

Phascolarctos fuscua.
PLATE XXXI.

Phascolarctos fuscus, Desmarest. Dictionnaire des Sciences
Naturelles xxxix., p. 448. Mammalogie, p. 276, sp. 450.

Lipums cinereus, Goldfuss. In Tois, 1819, p. 272.

Koala, or Kola, of the Aborigines. Native Bear, or Monkey
of the Colonists.

Ears broad, densely clothed with long fur both
externally and internally ; head rather short and
large ; muzzle naked not only at the tip, but a space
on the sides measuring nearly half an inch backwards
from the tip, and on the upper surface, measuring
more than an inch, is also destitute of hair, or at least
appears so, but to the touch the apparently naked
part has the texture of velvet, though less soft. The
fur of this animal is of an extremely compact woolly
character; its general colour is ashy- grey, but on the
under parts of the body it is white, with a faint dirty

296 PHASCOLARCTOS.

yellowish cast ; the inner side of the fore-legs is of
the same colour, and so is the rump, the base of
the hind-legs and lower part of hack ; the white
colour also makes its appearance in irregular patches;
the hinder-feet and the hack of the hinder-legs are
chiefly of a dirty white colour; the inner side of these
legs is rusty-grey, and so is the region of the pouch
in the female ; the back of the ear is covered with
fur like that on the upper surface of the head, but
longer and less compact ; on the inner side the very
long hairs are whitish ; dusky, tipped with white on
the anterior margin, and those which grow from the
apical portion of the ear are brownish, or yellowish-
white; these hairs are very abundant, and are upwards
of an inch in length ; on the back the fur is palish
rusty-grey at the base; on the belly the fur is almost
uniform to the skin, a very faint greyish tint being
observable at the base.

Length of head and body, 25 inches ; from nose
to ear, 4^ inches; ear, about If inches; hind-foot to
base of claws, 3 inches 1 line ; fore-foot to base of
claws 3 inches ; circumference of body (with the fur)
about 1 8 inches ; height when standing on all foui
of its legs, about 10 inches.

On the plate I have introduced a figure of a very
young specimen of the Koala, measuring 11 inches
in length ; the fur in this specimen, instead of having
the dense woolly character of the adult, is moderately
soft, short, and closely applied to the body ; on the
middle of the back a little behind the shoulders the
bairs radiate, those in front and over the whole of

PHASCOLARCTOS FUSCUS. 297

the shoulders and upper surface of the neck are di
rected towards the head ; on the head the hair is di-
rected backwards and meets that of the neck coming
from an opposite direction ; on the rump there is an-
other of these centres from which the hairs radiate,
those in front of this spot are directed forwards, and
meet those which are directed backwards from the first
mentioned centre. The ears are short, much pointed,
and the posterior edge is slightly emarginated, they
are not hidden by the fur as in the old animal, the
hairs which cover them, however, are about a quarter
of an inch long. In colouring it resembles the adult,
excepting that the claws are yellow.

This little specimen has evidently been stuffed with
considerable care, and as it was sent from Australia
in the position in which it is represented in the figure
— a common position in foetal animals — I presume
that it is this way that they lie curled up when in
the pouch of the parent.

The Koala is a native of New South Wales, and,
like the Phalangers, climbs trees, feeding no doubt
upon the leaves, buds, and fruits. It is said to re-
semble a small bear in its mode of climbing. The
female carries her young one on her back, when it
is capable of leaving the pouch, until it nas attained
a considerable size.

298 PHASCOLOMYS.

GENUS PHASCOLOMYS.

IN this genus the incisors are two in numher in
each jaw, and the molars are five on each side of
each jaw. The incisors are large and deeply era-
planted in their respective sockets, like those of the
Rodentia, (if the teeth so called in the latter animals
be really incisors, for this I think douhtful ;) those
of the upper jaw are somewhat compressed, and
when removed from the socket are found to he curved,
and hollow at the base. The worn surface of the in-
cisors of the lower jaw approaches slightly to a trian-
gular figure. These teeth, as well as the molars,
continue to grow at the base as they are worn down
by attrition at the opposite extremity. The molars,
like the incisors, are deeply implanted, and hollow
at the base ; the foremost on either side of each jaw
are separated by a narrow space, (especially those
of the upper jaw,) but the series diverge posteriorly.
These teeth, when removed from the socket, are found
to be considerably curved, so as to form a segment of
a circle ; * those of the upper jaw have their convex
side placed inwards, and those of the lower jaw are
reversed in position : each of the true molars is longer
than broad, and nearly divided into two parts by a

* A molar tooth before me, from the lower jaw of an adult
Wombat, forms one-third of a circle of an inch and a half in
diameter.

PHASCOLOMYS. 239

broad and deep channel situated on the convex side,
and a very shallow channel on the concave side ; the
crown presents nearly the figure of two triangles
joined together, hut with the angles somewhat
rounded. The foremost of the molars, which from
analogy we presume is a false molar, represents one-
half of one of the true molars. The skull is very mas-
sive and heavy, and its structure throughout evinces
enormous power in the masticatory muscles — it pre-
sents all the essential characters observable in the
crania of the Marsupial animals, and is totally unlike
the skull of any of the Rodentia, though the Wom-
bat has been classed by some authors with that
group.

SIDE VIEW OF THE TEETH OF THE

The fore-feet have five toes provided with strong
nails or claws fitted for burrowing, and the hind-feet
have also five toes, but the inner one is nailless, and,
though very short, projects nearly at right angles from
the foot, as in other Marsupials in which this toe exists.

300 PHASCOLOMYS.

WOMBAT.

Phascolomys Wombat.

PLATE XXXII.
Phascolomys Wombat, Peron et Lesueur, Voyage Atl. t. 28.

Body stout and heavy ; limbs short ; head large,
the upper surface flattened ; muzzle ohtuse ; eyes
very small ; ears small and pointed ; tail, a mere
tubercle. Fur moderately long and very coarse —
almost bristly ; general tint grey, mottled with black
and white; the hairs covering the feet chiefly black;
ears well clothed with hairs, those on the inner side
tolerably long and of a silvery white colour, those on
the outer side very long towards the base of the ear,
but less numerous and shorter on the tip where they
are black ; the hairs on the base are white grizzled
with greyish and broadly tipped with black ; the hairs
of the back are brown-black at the base, then white,
and at the apex black — many hairs are altogether
black. On the belly the hairs are of a dirty white
colour, brownish at the base and dusky or black at the
apex, — there are also interspersed black hairs. The
feet are broad and naked beneath ; the claws are
large and solid ; those of the fore-feet are but slightly
curved and slightly depressed ; the claws of the hind-
feet are curved and slightly compressed.

The tip of the muzzle is naked, and the nostrils
are widely separated.*

* A longitudinal groove divides the naked tip of the muzzle
into two parts, in the specimen before me, but it is not in the
middle, and does not appear to be natural.

*£

-$ -

PHASCOLOMYS WOMBAT. 301

The hairs of the moustaches are numerous, strong,
and of a black colour, as are also the long bristly
hairs which spring from the cheeks.

The Wombat possesses 15 pairs of ribs, whereas
in other Marsupials they never exceed 1 2 or 1 3 pairs.

Length of head and body measured in a straight
line, 3 feet ; length of head from tip of nose to ear,
7 inches ; length of ear, 1| inches; fore-foot, (with-
out the claws) 2f ; of hind-foot, (without including
the claws) 3^ inches.

The Wombat is found in New South Wales, South
Australia, and Van Diemen's Land, as well ae in some
of the Islands in Bass's Straits. It is a burrowing
animal, not very active in its movements, and feeds
chiefly upon roots and grass. Its flesh is said to re-
semble pork in its fatness and flavour, though not in
colour, being red and coarse. When provoked it
will emit a hissing sound which can be heard at a
considerable distance.

The earliest account of the Wombat I can find is
in Collins* work entitled " An Account of the English
Colony of New South Wales," (see pp. 99, 153, and
158,) published in 1 802. In this work is an excellent
description of the animal (excepting as regards its
dentition, where there appears to be some error,
probably typographical,) together with a figure, which
is not quite so excellent. This account, furnished
by Mr. Bass, is drawn up from a specimen obtained
at Preservation Island, and which it appears was
sent afterwards by Governor Hunter to the Museum
at Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Although not described

302 PHASCOLOMYS.

before, a figure of the same specimen appeared in
the 6th edition of Bewick's Quadrupeds, published
in 1800,* the description only appearing in a later
edition of that work.

About a year after the date of Collins* work, M.
Geoffrey published in the " Bulletin des Sciences par
la Societe Philomatique," Tom. iii., p. 185, a memoir
entitled " note sur un Nouveaux Mammifere decou-
vert a la Nouvelle Hollande," which is nothing more
than Collins' account with the mistakes. The same
author, in the same work, No. 80, p. 149, in the
following year (about 1804 — 12th of the Republic,)
publishes a second account, founded upon a specimen
brought by the Corvette commanded by Capt. Daudin.
In his first account the animal receives the generic
name Vombatus, and in the second it is called Phas-
colomis. The animal is next described under the
name Phascolomys Wombat, in 1807, by Peron and
Lesueur, in the " Voyage de decouvertes aux terres
Australes," and has subsequently received the names
Phascolomys fusca, (Desm.) and Phascolomys Bassii
(Lesson.) Misled by the error in the account of
the dentition copied by Geoffroy from Collins* work,
Illiger imagined the animal originally described under
the name Fombatu*, could not be the same as that
to which the generic title Phascolomys was afterwards

* See "Synopsis of the Newcastle Museum," p. 248, where
the whole history of the specimen above mentioned is given.
The fourth edition of Bewick I have not been able to consult,
1 take the date of the edition, therefore, from the Synopsis.

ECHIDNA HYSTRIX. 303

given, and accordingly he founded upon it a genufl
which he calls Amblotis*

THE ECHIDNA.

Echidna Hystrix.
PLATE XXXIII.

Echidna Hystrix of Authors.

JMyrmecophaga aculeata, Shaw. Naturalist's Miscellany, Vol.

iii., p. 109. General Zoology, Vol. i. part 1, p. 175 ; the

Porcupine Anteater of the first of these works, and Aculeated

Anteater of the second.
Ornithorhynchus Hystrix, Home. Anat. of the O. Hystrix in

Phil. Trans. 1 802, p. 348.
Tachyglossus aculeatus, Illiger.

This curious animal is ahout the size of the Hedge-
hog, which it also resembles in being covered with
spines ; the spines, however, are much stouter than
in that animal, and the long snout of the Echidna
would prevent it being mistaken even by a superficial
observer for the animal with which I have compared it.

The head of the Echidna is elongated, and its eyes
are small; immediately in front of the eye, the muzzle,
which is rather depressed, is somewhat suddenly con-
tracted, thence it gradually diminishes in width to
the tip. In an adult specimen before me the width

* Mr. J. Gray, during the time that the British Association
held its meeting at Newcastle, referred to this animal, and
pointed out this error to the Members of the Natural History

Section See Report, Vol. vii., p. Ill, of the " Transact! or s

of the Sections."

£04 PHASCOLOMYS.

of the muzzle, a quarter of an inch distant from tlie
eyes is three-fourths of an inch ; its length, measuring
to the tip from the same part, is 1 inch and 7 lines ;
and the width near the point is 4^ lines. The skin
of this beak-like muzzle is thick and destitute of hair.
The opening of the mouth is remarkably small, and
when closed is in the form of a narrow slit extending
backwards from the tip of the nose, not more than
4 lines. The nostrils are situated very near the tip
of the muzzle. The tongue is slender and very long,
and the animal has the power of protruding it to a
considerable distance. Of teeth it has none. The
legs are very large and strong, and both hind and
fore-feet are provided with five short and stout toes ;
the toes of the fore-feet are furnished with very large
and strong nails, that of the central toe, in the speci-
men before alluded to, is 1 inch in length, and 3J
lines in width in the middle ; the toe on either side
of this has the nail rather smaller, and the nail of the
outer and inner toe is, compared with the others,
small, being about 4 or 5 lines only in length : these
nails are almost straight, solid, and rounded at the
tip. The inner toe of the hind-foot is very short and
thick, and furnished with a short, broad, and rounded
nail, and appears to be slightly opposable ; the toe
next the inner one is the largest, though still short
and strong, and is furnished with an enormously long
nail, 1 inch 4 lines in length ; this nail is slightly
curved, and appears, when viewed in front, to be
nearly cylindrical, but its under surface is concave.
The nail of the central toe resembles the last, but is

ECHIDNA HYSTRIX. 305

rather smaller, and that of the outer toe is the short-
est, being not more than a quarter of an inch in length.
The Echidna being a burrowing animal, it would ap-
pear that the broad strong claws of the fore-feet are
for digging out the earth, and the large hollow claws
of the hind-feet are to enable the animal to cast
away the loose soil, and to accomplish this, the foot
is twisted in such a manner that the sides of these
claws lie on the ground, and the concave part is be-
hind. On the heel of the hind-foot of the male, (as
in the Ornithorhynchus,} is a strong curved horny
spur, the point of which is directed backwards and
upwards — it is usually about 4 or 5 lines in length.
The skin of the Echidna is remarkably thick, to
give firm attachment to the strong spines with which
the upper surface of the body is covered; the average
length of these spines is about one inch and three
quarters, and they are very stout and strong ; they
commence at the back of the head, covet' the whole
back of the animal as well as the shoulders, and ex-
tend a little way down on the sides of the body ; are
for the most part directed backwards and upwards
and those on each side of the back are also directed
inwards, so that they cross each other at the mesial
line ; on the rump is a large tuft of these spines which
appear to radiate from two centres, and hide the
small tuberculous tail ; the head, legs, and thfc whole
of the under parts, as well as the sides of the body,
are well clothed with very stiff and bristly blackish
brown hairs; the spines are of a dirty yellowish-
white colour, but blackish at the point ; the ears are

306 MONOTREMATA.

hidden by the spines, and are situated very far back*
Total length one foot.

The Echidna is found in New South Wales, in tne
Islands of Bass' Straits, and in Van Diemen's Land ;
it burrows with great facility, and lives upon insects,
which, like the ant-eaters, it procures by means of
its long slender tongue, which is always covered with
a viscous matter.

Messrs. Bass and Flinders, when at Twofold Bay,
state that their dogs found a Porcupine Ant-eater,
(or Echidna) but that the dogs made no impression
on the animal, which escaped by burrowing in the
loose sand, not head foremost, hut by sinking himself
directly downwards, and thus presenting nothing but
his prickly back to his adversaries.

A living specimen of the Echidna, was procured
by Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard, at Hobart Town, and
these Naturalists furnish us with an interesting ac-
count of the habits of the animal as observed in
confinement. They describe it as an apathetic and
stupid animal ; for the first month after its capture,
it took no sustenance whatever, and became very
thin, though without appearing to suffer.* It was
fond of obscurity, shunning the light during the day,
and crouching to the ground with its head between
its legs ; in this position it presented at all parts a
mass of spines like a Hedgehog, but was not able to

* The Echidna and Ornithorliynchus in many of their ana-
tomical characters evince a considerable approach to the
Reptiles, and it would appear, from the above account, that
the present animal is reptile-like in its power of fasting.

ECHIDNA HYSTRIX. 307

roll itself up in a ball like that animal. Notwith-
standing the inactivity of the Echidna, it appeared to
like its liberty, for it made constant efforts to get out
of the cage in which it was placed. It burrowed
with a rapidity truly astonishing. A large chest of
earth containing plants being given to it, the animal
arrived at the bottom in less than two minutes. The
muzzle, although extremely sensitive, assisted in the
work.

After a month of abstinence it took to eating ; the
food given to it, was a mixture of flour, water, and
sugar, of which it consumed nearly half a glass per
day.

Messrs. Quoy and Gaimard are of opinion that
these animals might be easily conveyed to Europe in
a vessel taking a direct route ; especially as they
become torpid when exposed to the cold. This
specimen died, they say, in consequence of its
washing itself too much.

Desmarest and some other authors describe two
species of Echidna under the names Echidna hystrix
and JE. setosa. The animal here described is the E.
hystrix of these authors, the E. setosa differs in having
fewer and shorter spines on the body, and these
embedded almost to the point in a dense, woolly,
brown fur; on the sides and under parts of the body,
some long, pale, bristly hairs are intermixed with the
fur, which is much less harsh than that of E. hystrix,
and of a much paler brown. Desmarest says, the
nails of the feet are longer, narrower, and more arched
in E. setosa, than in the other species, but these

308 MONOTREMATA.

differences in the form of the nails, do not exist in
the specimens before me.

The author mentioned, gives Van Diemen's Land
and the Islands in Bass' Straits, as the localities in
which the setosa is found. I have notes of several
specimens from Van Diemen's Land, whence I do
not recollect to have seen specimens of the 0. hy&trix.
The two species, (if they be distinct, — and the differ-
ences are certainly not those of age or sex,) however,
are found in New South Wales ; they have had the
further two names, E. longiaculeata and E. breviacu-
leata, applied by Tiedemann, Zoologie i. p. 592.

The Echidna and Ornithorhynchus form an order
of themselves according to the views of many natural-
ists. By Cuvier they' are classed under the term
Monotremata, with the Edentata of which they form
the third section. These animals, however, differ
essentially from the Edentata, in their anatomical
structure, whilst they agree, as it appears, chiefly in
one negative character, — the absence of teeth, — in
fact we may say, they agree with the Edentata,*
only inasmuch as that name is equally applicable to
certain species of the two groups, Edentata proper
and Monotremata. We must not overlook the fact,
that the Monotremata possess the marsupial bones,
so characteristic of the Marsupialia, and at the same
time agree in several important anatomical characters.

* The name Edentata is a most ill chosen one, for the great-
er portion of the animals so called, do possess teeth, and
sometimes plenty of them, to use a homely phrase, — it had
aaference to their want of incisors.

agree, as

ORNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 309

They are also inhabitants of a part of the globe in
which the Mammalia are almost exclusively Marsu-
piata. They certainly do not possess the pouch, but
this has been observed to exist only in a rudimen-
tary state in some of the Opossums.

THE ORNITHORHYNCHUS.

Ornitkorkynchus paradoxus, Blumenbach.
Platypus anatinusy Shaw.

PLATE XXXIV.

This animal is about 18 or 20 inches in length ;
the body tapers at both extremities, and is moreover
of a somewhat depressed form ; the head is small,
but the facial portion is greatly developed, and from
its peculiar form has often been compared to the beak
of a duck ; this beak is about one third longer than
broad, flat and broader in front than behind ; it is
covered by a thick skin, which in dried specimens
resembles leather; this leather-like membrane is sup-
ported by the bones of the face, which, together, form
a framework of the figure just described, but the
membrane, both at the sides and in front, extends
beyond the bone, and such parts are therefore free
and flexible; in front the free membrane (in an adult
animal) measures about half an inch or more, and at
the sides rather less ; besides the free membrane at
the sides and in front there is a fold of skin surround-
ing the base of the beak, which in fresh specimens
probably averages about half an inch in width ; it is

310 MONOTBEMATA.

narrow at the angle of the mouth, but immediately
below the angle, its width is about three quarters of
an inch. This membrane folds back over the fore
part of the head and throat, and probably serves to
keep the mud, — in which these animals are (like
ducks) constantly grubbing in search of food, — from
working into the fur ; it may also serve somewhat to
protect the eyes. The nostrils are round and rather
large, placed near to each other and situated on the
upper surface near the extremity of the beak, — that
is, they are just within the boundary of the bony
portion. The lower mandible has the same general
form as the upper, but is of a much smaller size ; it
is nearly flat, being but slightly convex externally,
and concave internally; like the upper mandible, it is
surrounded by free membrane, but this is compa-
ratively narrow; that at the sides presents numerous
transverse ridges, which serve, no doubt, a similar
purpose as those which we observe in the same situ-
ation in the under mandible of the ducks. The only
teeth which this animal possesses are four molars,
two on each side of each jaw; these teeth, unlike
those of other quadrupeds, consist of a horn-like
substance, are situated far back in the head and
present a broad and uneven masticating, or rather
crushing surface, and are of an irregular subquadrate
form. The eyes are very small, of a light brown colour,
and situated about half an inch behind the base of
the beak. " The external orifice of the ears is situ-
ate near the upper part of the external angle of the
eye. When a living specimen is examined the orifice

ORNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 311

is easily discoverable, as the animal has the facility
of closing or opening it at will ; in dead specimens
being closed, it would not readily be perceived by a
person unacquainted with its exact situation." The
legs are remarkably short, and it would appear, are
not long enough to keep the body from touching the
ground. Both fore and hind-feet are furnished with
five well-developed toes, those of the fore-feet are
provided with long, solid, slightly depressed claws,
which are nearly straight ; not only is the space be-
tween these tees webbed, but the web is extended so
as to reach considerably beyond the end of the claws,
hence when the foot is expanded a large surface is
presented to the water, and enables the animal to
swim with considerable rapidity. On land, and
when the animal wishes to burrow, the free portion
of the web is folded back, and leaves unencumbered
the powerful claws.

The hind-feet are also webbed, but here the web
does not extend beyond the tip of the toes ; the claws
on these feet are long, curved, compressed, and point-
ed ; the three middle toes terminate nearly on the
same line, but the inner toe is shorter. On the heel
is a large stout and sharply pointed spur, which is
slightly curved and said to be moveable. The tail
is short, broad, and depressed. The fur is short,
very dense, and rather soft to the touch, and com-
bines the properties usually found in that of an
aquatic animal and that of one whose habit is to
burrow; it will readily expel both the water and the
dust ; it is composed of hairs of two kinds, the one

312 MONOTREMATA.

forming a remarkably fine and dense fur resembling
that of the mole, the other hairs are longer, have
the basal half fine like the under fur, but the apical,
exposed, half of each hair is dilated and flat, bent
at an angle with the basal portion, and is very
glossy, resembling the hairs of the seals. In these
longer hairs, being thin at the base, bent near the
middle, and expanded and stiff at the tip, we see a
beautiful provision suited to the habits of the animal.
"When in the water the flat points become closely
applied together and afford a waterproof covering to
the fine under fur ; and when in its under ground
galleries, their peculiar texture and bent form permits
the animal to move either backwards or forwards
without inconvenience, and without exposing the
skin to the dirt. The hairs covering the tail are
very stiff and bristly ; on the upper surface they
point in various directions, and on the under surface
they are very short and closely adpressed ; in old
specimens the tail is frequently naked beneath, the
hairs being worn off. The toes of the fore-feet are
naked. The general colour of the Ornithorhynckus
is deep brown ; the under parts of the head and
body are pale brown ; the under fur is grey ; a small
whitish spot is observable in front of each eye.

The dimensions of the specimen from which the
foregoing description is drawn up are as follows :
total length 23 inches — measuring over the curve of
the back ; length of beak, 2^ inches ; width near
the tip, 1 inch 10 lines ; width at base, 1 incb 7 lines;
length of lower mandible, 1 inch 1 1 lines ; width at

ORNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 313

the tip, 1 inch 2 lines ; length of tail, 5 inches ;
width, 2^ inches ; length of fore-foot to end of
claws, 1 inch 1 0 lines ; of hind-foot to end of claws,
2 inches 8 lines ; length of spur rather more than
half an inch.

Several species of Ornithorkynchus are enumerated
in Zoological works. In the "Voyage de Decouverts
£c." by Peron, we find two Ornithorhynchi charac-
terized and figured under the names 0. fuscus arid
0. rufus. These species M. Temminck and some
other authors regard as distinct; there are others,
however, who do not consider them well established.
The animal I have described agrees in its colouring
with the 0. fuscus ; the 0. rufus, it would appear,
differs chiefly in being of a brighter and richer brown.
Desmarest says the 0. fuscus is perhaps only a variety
of the 0. rufuS) " cependant son poil differe en ce
qu'il est aplati et crepu, au lieu d'etre comme celui
de ce dernier animal, mince et lisse." Now in speci
mens before me I find such a difference — two bright
reddish-brown individuals differ from several others
of a darker and less bright colour, in having the fur
longer and less crisp ; the points of the hairs are all
directed backwards whilst in the dull brown speci-
mens the fur has a grizzled appearance, the hairs
being pointed in various directions. The rufous
specimens are smaller than the others, and have a
much stouter spur and narrower beak; the under
parts of the head and body are almost white. A
specimen in the British Museum, said to be the
original of Shaw's description, is evidently the 0.
rufus — supposing the two species to be distinct.

314 MONOTREMATA.

Leach, in his Zoological Miscellany, (Vol. II.f p.
136,) also describes the Ornithorhynchus fuscus and
0. rufus as distinct ; the latter he says differs from
the former, not only in colour, but in having the beak
narrower, the nostrils more terminal, the anterior
claws acuminate, (those of the 0. fuscus he describes
as linear and obtuse,) and the form of the hair of the
anterior part of the body, which has a much longer
club at its extremity. The differences in the position
of the nostrils and in the form of the claws, I do not
perceive in the specimens before me, and as regards
the beak, I have seen a rufous specimen in which
it was as broad as in those of the deeper brown
colour.

Mr. Macgillivray describes two species of Orni-
thorhynchus in the Memoirs of the Wernerian Society
for 1832, (Vol. VI., p. 127,) under the specific names
crispus and Icevis, but these he afterwards (see p.
132) regards as mere varieties of O. paradoxus.
The description of 0. crispus given by this author
agrees with the animal described at the head of this
article, and the 0. Icevis is apparently the O. rufus.

Mr. Ogilby also describes an Ornithorhynchus
under the name brevirostris. See Proceedings of
the Zoological Society for 1831, p. 150. The speci-
men upon which Mr. Ogilby founds his species is
now before me, and is one of the two reddish varieties
before alluded to. I think it possible the 0. fuscus
and 0. rufus will prove distinct, and if so, the syno-
nyms will be as follows : —

ORNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 315

1. Platypus anatirius, Shaw.
Ornithorhynchus paradoxus, Blumenbach ?

, rufus, Peron, Leach, and Deem.

laevis, Macgillivray.

brevirostris, Ogilby.

2. Ornithorhynchus fuscus, Peron, Leach, and Desm.
————— crispus, Macgillivray.

Both these species, or varieties, are found in New
South Wales, and one of them at least in Van Die-
men's Land. In the Catalogue of the Sidney Museum
we are informed, that this animal is called by the
aborigines of Gas, Murrumhidgee, &c., Mallangong,
and Tambreet : it is the Water-mole of the colonists.

The most perfect account of the habits of the Orni-
thorhynchus hitherto published, is from the pen of Mr.
George Bennett, in the Transactions of the Zoological
Society, Vol. L, p. 229. Some portions of this paper
I shall proceed to extract.

Mr. G. Bennett's observations were commenced
on the 4th of October 1832, at Mundoona in the
Murray County, on a part of the Yas River running
through the estate of Mr. James Rose. The Water-
Moles (as these animals are called by the Colonists,)
chiefly frequent the open and tranquil parts of the
stream, covered with aquatic plants, where the steep
and shaded banks afford excellent situations for the
excavation of their burrows. Such expanses of water
are by the Colonists called " ponds." The animals
may be readily recognized by their dark bodies just
seen level with the surface, above which the head is
slightly raised, and by the circles made in the water

315 MONOTREMATA.

around them by their paddling action. On the slight-
est alarm they instantly disappear ; and indeed they
seldom remain longer on the surface than one or two
minutes, hut dive head foremost with an audible
splash, reappearing, if not alarmed, a short distance
from the spot at which they dived. Their action is
so rapid, and their sense of danger so lively, that the
mere act of levelling the gun is sufficient to cause
their instant disappearance ; and it is consequently
only by watching them when diving, and levelling
the piece in a direction towards the spot at which
they seem likely to reappear, that a fair shot at them
can be obtained A near shot is absolutely requisite ;
and when wounded they usually sink immediately,
but quickly reappear on the surface.

A male specimen was shot, and brought out by
the dog, on the following morning. In a few minutes
it revived, and ran along the ground, instinctively
endeavouring to regain the water, but did not survive
more than twenty-five minutes. On this individual
Mr. G. Bennett made various experiments, with the
view of ascertaining the truth of the reports so ex-
tensively circulated of the injurious effects resulting
from wounds inflicted by the spur. In no way,
however, could he induce the animal to make use
of its spurs as weapons of offence ; although in its
struggles to escape, his hands were slightly scratched
by the hind claws, and even, in consequence of the
position in which he held it, by the spur also. The
result of several subsequent repetitions of the ex-
periment with animals not in a wounded state was

OHNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 317

the same. The natives, too, never seem fearful of
handling the male Ornithorhynchus alive.

On the morning of the 7th of October, Mr. G.
Bennett proceeded, in company with a native, to the
banks of the river to see the hurrovv of an Ornithor-
hynchus, from which the natives had taken the young
during the previous summer. The burrow was
situated on a steep part of the bank ; and its entrance,
concealed among the long grass and other plants,
was distant rather more than a foot from the water's
edge. Its whole extent was not laid open, the
natives contenting themselves with digging down
upon it at stated distances, their operations being
guided by the introduction into the burrow of a stick
which indicated its direction. It took a serpentine
course, and measured about twenty feet in length :
the termination was broader than any other part,
nearly oval in form, and strewed with dry river
weeds, £c. From this nest the native stated that
he had taken in the previous season (December)
three young ones, about six or eight inches in length
and covered with hair. In addition to the entrance
above spoken of, the burrows have usually a second
below the surface of the water, communicating with
the interior just within the upper aperture. After
exhibiting this burrow, the native proceeded to ex-
plain the means employed in tracking the Mallan-
gongs. He pointed out on the moist clay of the
banks foot-marks leading to a burrow, from the
bottom of which, on inserting his arm, he drew forth

318 MONOTREMATA.

some lumps of clay, which bore evident marks of
the animal's recent passage. He declared, however,
that the inhabitant was absent, and Mr. G. Bennett
was induced, by this information, to abstain from
further investigation. A female specimen, shot in
the evening of the same day, was found to have two
ova, about the size of or rather smaller than buck-
shot, in the left uterus; and in this, as in all the
other female specimens, much difficulty was experi-
enced in finding the mammary glands. The contents
of the cheek-pouches and stomachs always consisted
of river insects, very small shell-fish, &c., commin-
uted and mingled with mud or gravel, which latter,
Mr. G. Bennett suggests, may be required to aid
digestion. River-weeds were never observed to
form part of the food ; but Mr. George MacLeay
informed the author that in a situation in which
water-insects were very scarce he had shot Ornitho-
rhynchi with river-weeds in their pouches.

Similar excursions were made on the 8th and 9th
of October ; and on the latter day one of the burrows
was explored. The entrance of this burow was situa-
ted on a moderately steep bank, abounding with long
wiry grass and shrubs, at the distance of about five
feet from the water's edge : its course lay in a serpen-
tine direction up the bank, approaching nearer to the
surface of the earth towards its termination. At
this part it was expanded to form a chamber suf-
ficiently capacious for the reception of the animal and
her young, and measured one foot in length by six

ORNITIIORriYNCHUS PARADOXUS. 319

inches in breadth. Its whole length, from the en-
trance to the termination, was twenty feet ;* narrow-
ing as it receded from the entrance, where it
measured one foot three inches in depth, and one
foot one inch in breadth, and in the intermediate part
becoming scarcely larger than the usual breadth of the
animal when uncontracted.

From this burrow a living female was taken, and
placed in a cask, with grass, mud, water, &c. ; and
in this situation it soon became tranquil, and appa-
rently reconciled to its confinement. Hoping that
he had now obtained the means, should his captive
prove to have been impregnated, of determining the
character of the excluded product, Mr. G. Bennett
set out on his return for Sidney, on the 13th of
October, carrying the living Ornithorhynchus with
him in a small box, covered with battens, between
which only very narrow intervals were left.

The next morning, tying a long cord to its leg, he
roused it and placed it on the bank of the river, in
order to indulge it with a bathe ; and a similar in-
dulgence was granted to it on the second day of its
journey. On these occasions it soon found its way
into the water, and travelled up the stream, appa-
rently delighted in those places which abounded most
with aquatic weeds. When diving in deep and clear
water, its motions were distinctly seen ; it sunk
speedily to the bottom, swam there for a short

* Mr. Bennett afterwards examined a burrow which was 35
feet in length, and states that burrows have been observed of
even 50 feet in length.

320 MONOTREMATA.

distance, and then rose again to the surface. It
appeared, however, to prefer keeping close to the
hank, occasionally thrusting its heak into the mud,
from whence it evidently procured food, as on raising
the head, after withdrawing the beak, the mandibles
were seen in lateral motion, as is usual when the
animal masticates. The motions of the mandibles
were similar to those of a duck under the same cir-
cumstances. After feeding, it would lie sometimes
on the grassy bank; and at others partly in and
partly out of the water, combing and cleaning its
coat with the claws of the hind-feet. This process
occupied a considerable time, and greatly improved
its sleek and glossy appearance. After its second
excursion it was replaced in the box, which was not
opened again until the following morning, when it
was found to have made its escape.

Mr. G. Bennett proceeds to describe in detail their
habits in a state of captivity. Their various attitudes,
^ when in a state of repose, are curious, and are illus-
trated by the exhibition of sketches made from the
life. The most favourite posture of the young
animals appears to be lying rolled up like a ball ;
this is effected by the fore paws being placed under
the beak, with the head and mandibles bent down
towards the tail, the hind paws crossed over the
mandibles and the tail turned up ; thus complet-
ing the rotundity of the figure. The young were
allowed to run about the room ; but the old one was
so restless, and damaged the walls of the room so
much by her attempts at burrowing, that it was found

ORNITHORHYNCHUS PARADOXUS.

necessary to confine her to the box. During tlie day
she would remain quiet, huddled up with her young
ones ; but at night she became very restless, and
eager to escape. The little ones were as frolicsome
as puppies, and apparently as fond of play : and
many of their actions were not a little ludicrous.
During the day they seemed to prefer a dark corner
for repose, and generally resorted to the spot to which
they had been accustomed, although they would
change it on a sudden apparently from mere caprice.
They did not appear to like deep water, but enjoyed
exceedingly a bathe in shallow water, with a turf of
grass placed in one corner of the pan : they seldom
remained longer than ten or fifteen minutes in the
water at one time. Though apparently nocturnal,
or at least preferring the cool and dusky evening to
the glare and heat of noon, their movements in this
respect were so irregular as to furnish no grounds
for a definite conclusion. They slept much, and it
frequently happened that one slept while the other
was running about, and this occurred at almost all
periods of the day. They climbed with great
readiness to the summit of a bookcase, placing their
backs against the wall and their feet against the
bookcase ; and thus, by means of their strong
cutaneous muscles and of their claws, mounting with
much expedition to the top. Their food consisted of
bread soaked in water, chopped egg, and meat minced
very small ; and they did not seem to prefer milk to
water. One of the young ones died on the 29th of
January 1833, and the other on the 2nd of February

322 MOXOTREMAT.V.

having been kept alive in captivity for nearly five
weeks.

The Ornithorhynchus was described by Shaw and
Blumenbach nearly at the same time; Blumenbach's
account I have reason to believe appeared in 1800 ;
if so, Shaw has the priority, his first description having
appeared in the Naturalist's Miscellany, No. 118,
published in June 1709. Blumenbach's name,
Ornithorhynchus paradoxus, is, however, universally
adopted, and in all the interesting anatomical papers
on this animal this name is used ; under these cir-
cumstances it is not desirable to go back to what I
believe to be the older name Platypus anatinus —
especially as Platypus is used as a generic name
among insects.

Those who wisn to obtain more nerlecl information
relating to this most extraordinary animal, which in
many of its anatomical characters evinces a consider-
able approach towards the class Reptilia, and is
certainly the lowest of the Mammalia yet discovered,
will do well to consult the following Memoirs.

Home, On the anatomy of tJie OrnitJiorJiynchus^n the Phil. Trans.

1802, p. 67-84.

Meckel, Ornithorhynchi paradoxi descriptio anatom.
De Blainville, Observations sur P eryot de V Ornithorkynque, in

the Journal de Physique, &c. Ixxxiv, p. 318. See also a

paper by the same author, Sur les Mamelles de V Ornithor-
' Jiynque, &c., in the Nouveau Bulletin de la Societe Philo-

matique, for 1826, p. 138.
Knox has published several papers on different parts of the

Anatomy of the Ornithorhynchug in the Memoirs of the

Wernerian Society, Vol. VI.

OBNITHOBHYNCHU8 PARADOXUS.

323

Geoffrey Saint-Hilaire, Sur un apparat glanduleux recemrnent
decouvert dans /' Ornithorhynque, Annales des Sciences
Naturelles, for 1826, p. 457. The same author publishes
another paper, Sur Its appareits sexuells et urinaircs de V Orni-
thorliynque, in the Memoirs du Museum, &c. XV.

Owen, On the young of the Ornithorhvnchus paradoxuts, in the
Transactions of the ^oo.^ruii Society, Vol. I., p. 221, and
On the Ova of the Ornit1u>rhynchus^ in the Philosophical
Transactions, part 2, for 1834, p. 555.

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to NRLF

newals and recharges may be made 4

prior to due date

DUE AS STAMPED BELOW

1 1 0 1989

QL
4-2

v.