Dr. J. E. Gray on species of Mammalia from the Aru Islands. 223 



the lower compressed, very acutely lobed ; the middle one in each 

 jaw the largest. 



The angle of the lower jaw is produced, elongate and 'strongly in- 

 flexed, as is usual in Marsupialia. 



Skull : length, 1 inch 3 lines ; width, all the zygomatic arch, 9 lines; 

 length of the tooth-line 9 lines. Length of the lower jaw 1 1£, of 

 symphysis 4|, of tooth-line 7\ lines (figs. 6-9). 



Fig. 6. 



Fig. 7. 'nfflT*^ Fi g- 8- 



Fig. 9. 



This genus is peculiar, because, as far as the dentition is concerned, 

 there is no character by which we should have determined that it 

 was a Marsupial animal ; but the form of the angle of the lower 

 jaw at once shows its true affinity to that group. It was not until a 

 most careful examination of the space between the front upper cut- 

 ting teeth, that I could find any indication of the front pair of cut- 

 ting teeth found in the allied genus Antechinus. 



This genus is evidently allied to the genus Antechinus of Australia ; 

 but it is known at once by its external form, which is just that of a 

 small Indian Herpestes or Ichneumon, having like that genus a de- 

 pressed tail with long spreading hair, broad and depressed at the 

 base, tapering to an acute tip which bears a pencil of hairs. 



7. Myoictis Wallacii. 



Rusty-brown, with interspersed black longer hairs ; head redder ; 

 throat, chest and belly pale reddish ; side of the neck at the base of 

 the ears bright reddish ; ears, and the greater part of the tail bright 

 red-brown ; tip of the tail black. 



Hab. Aru Island. 



Male. 



" In houses as destructive as rats to every thing eatable. 



-Teeth 34:— Inc. i; C. J=J ; Prem. *-=§; M. ~L"— Wallace. 



8. Perameles (Echimipera) Doreyanus. 



Perameles Doreyanus, Quoy & Gaimard, Voy. Astrol. Zool. i. 100. 

 t. 16. f. 1-5; Waterhouse, Mamm. i. 386. 



Echymipera Kalulu, Lesson, Regne Anim. 192. 



Tail naked, rugose, squamose, wrinkled below. Toes 3*5 : the 



