262 



MARSUPIAL QUADRUPEDS OF NEW HOLLAND. 



of marsupial quadrupeds. Such as they are, his alterations 

 in both respects have been adopted by M. Lesson. 



But to obtain a clear insight into the merits and defects of 

 these arrangements, I shall set them forth in the order and 

 with the definitions of their respective authors. That of M. 

 Cuvier is as follows.— 



"I. Division. Long canines and small in. 

 cisors in both jaws; the back molars 

 with pointed tubercles ; and in general 

 teeth having all the characters of in- 

 sectivorous mammals 



MARIS UPI ALIA J 



f Didelphis. 



Cheironectes. 



Thylacinus. 



Phascogale. 



Dasyurus. 

 K Perameles. 



Phalangista. 



Petaurus. 



Hypsiprymnus 



II. Division. Six incisors above, and 

 only two below ; superior canines long 

 and pointed; inferior small, sometimes 

 entirely wanting ; hind thumbs oppo-" 

 sable and without claws ; two follow- 

 ing toes united ; a large ccecum 



III. Division. Incisors, upper canines, 

 and two hind toes united as in 2nd Di- 

 vision, but without opposable thumbs 

 or inferior canines ( 



IV. Division. Differs from the last on- J ^ 

 ly in having no canines whatever { " 



V. Division. Two long incisors below ; ( 

 two long ones in the middle, and a few j Phascolarctos. 

 rather smaller on each side, above. ... ( 



^VI. Division. Purely rodent teeth Phaseolomys. 



The arrangement of M. Latreille is but little different in 

 reality, except that it does far more violence to the natural 

 affinities of the animals than even that of M. Cuvier; but 

 whilst it is thus inferior, in a philosophical point of view, it 

 has certainly the merit of greater logical precision, being 

 founded upon a simple and uniform principle, which the other 

 is not : it is therefore greatly superior as an artificial method. 



I. ENTOMOPHAGA; 



Two canines and numerous small- 

 incisors in both jaws. 



f Didelphis. 

 Cheironectes 



(Dasyurus 

 Thylacinus 

 Phascogale 

 ^Perameles 



II. Carpophaga. ( A . . (Phalangista 

 Six incisors above; 4su P enorcanmes |pAa,coLe^ 



no inferior canines (2 superior canines Hypsiprymnus 



III. Phyllophaga. (kfMAi*miwi.«%' n *h (Petaurus 

 No canines in either 6 mcisors above \Macropus 



jaw. (2 incisors above Phaseolomys 



If simplicity, comprehensiveness, and something at least 

 approaching to equality of distribution, be the logical ele- 



