THE MYRMECOBIUS. 391 



THE little animals which are grouped together under the title of POUCHED MICE are 

 tolerably numerous, the genus Antechinus comprising about twelve or thirteen species. 



They are spread rather widely over New South Wales and Southern Australia, and as 

 they are prolific creatures, they are among the most common of the Australian quadrupeds. 

 They are all of inconsiderable size, the greater number hardly exceeding the ordinary mouse 

 in dimensions, though one or two species nearly equal a small rat in size. 



Arboreal in their habits, they are among the most active of tree-loving quadrupeds, run- 

 ning up and down a perpendicular trunk with perfect ease, and leaping from one branch to 

 another with singular activity of limb and certainty of aim. They can even cling to the under 

 side of a horizontal branch, and are constantly seen running round the branches and peering 

 into any little crevice, precisely after the manner of the ordinary titmice among the birds. 

 They can descend a branch with their heads downward, instead of lowering themselves tail 

 foremost, as is generally the custom among tree-climbing quadrupeds, and traverse the branches 

 with admirable rapidity and liveliness. 



The YELLOW-FOOTED POUCHED MOUSE (Antechinus flavipes) is a very pretty little creat- 

 ure, its fur being richly tinted with various pleasing hues. 



The face, the upper part of the head, and the shoulders are dark gray, diversified with 

 yellow hairs, and the sides of the body are warmed with a wash of bright chestnut. The 

 under parts of the body, the chin, and the throat are uniform white, and the tail is black. 

 There is often a slight tufting of hair on the extremity of the tail. 



The total length of the animal is about eight inches, the head and body being rather more 

 than four inches and a half in length, and the tail a little more than three inches. 



THE MYRMECOBIUS (Myrmecobius fasciatus) is remarkable for several parts of its struct- 

 ure, and more especially so for the extraordinary number of its teeth, and the manner in which 

 they are placed in the jaw. Altogether, there are no less than fifty-two teeth in the jaws of 

 an adult and perfect specimen of the Myrmecobius, outnumbering the teeth of every other 

 animal, with the exception of one or two cetacea and the armadillo. There is no pouch in this 

 animal, but the tender young are defended from danger by the long hairs which clothe the 

 under portions of the body. 



It is a beautiful little animal, the fur being of agreeable tints and diversified by several 

 bold stripes across the back. The general color of the fur is a bright fawn on the shoulders, 

 which deepens into blackish-brown from the shoulders to the tail, the fur of the hinder por- 

 tions being nearly black. Across the back are drawn six or seven white bands, broad on the 

 back and tapering off towards their extremities. The under parts of the body are of a yellow- 

 ish-white. The tail is thickly covered with long, bushy hair, and has a grizzled aspect, owing 

 to the manner in which the black and white hairs of which it is composed are mingled together. 

 Some hairs are annulated with white, red-rust, and black, so that the tints are rather variable, 

 and never precisely the same in two individuals. 



The length of the body is about ten inches, and the tail measures about seven inches, so 

 that the dimensions of the animal are similar to those of the common water vole of Europe. 



It is an active animal, and when running, its movements are very similar to those of the 

 common squirrel. When hurried, it proceeds by a series of small jumps, the tail being ele- 

 vated over its back after the usual custom of squirrels, and at short intervals it pauses, sits 

 upright, and casts an anxious look in all directions before it again takes to flight. 



Although not a particularly swift animal, it is not an easy one to capture, as it imme- 

 diately makes for some place of refuge, under a hollow tree or a cleft in rocky ground, and 

 when it has fairly placed itself beyond the reach of its pursuers, it bids defiance to their efforts 

 to drive it from its haven of safety. Not even smoke the usual resort of a hunter when his 

 prey has gone to "earth" and refuses to come out again has the least effect on the Myrme- 

 cobius, which is either possessed of sufficient smoke-resisting powers to endure the stifling 

 vapor with impunity, or of sufficient courage to yield its life in the recesses of its haven, rather 

 than deliver itself into the hands of its enemies. 



The food of the Myrmecobius is supposed chiefly to consist of ants and similar diet, as it is 



