Zoology.] NATUEAL HISTORY OF VICTORIA. IMammalia. 



Plate 91. 

 GYMNOBELIDEUS LEADBEATERI (McCoy). 



[Geuus GYMNOBELIDEUS (McCoy). (Sub-kingd. Vertebrata. Class Mammalia. Order 

 Marsupialia. Eam. Phalangistidse.) 



Gen. Char. — Teeth and general form of Belideus, but destitute of the lateral, cloak-like 

 parachute or flank-membraue, and having on the fore feet the inner finger or thumb shortest, 

 the second longer, the third longer than the second, the fourth longest, the fifth (or outer) toe 

 shorter than the third, but longer than the second. On the hind feet the inner toe or thumb is 

 succeeded by two of nearly equal size, more slender and shorter than the others, and united 

 together as far as the base of the last joint. The thumbs of the hind feet are without nails, 

 and the claws of all the other toes are small, and exceeded in length by the prominent wrinkled 

 pads on the underside. The ears are large, semielhptical, and nearly naked towards the tips. 

 Dental formula : — incisors f , canines I, premolars % molars \ = 40. Australia. ] 



Description. — Upper surface brownish grey, with a blackish, dusky streak 

 from the top of the head along- the back to the sacrum ; there is a dark patch under 

 the base of the ear, and a fainter one before and behind the eye. Under surface 

 dull yellowish ; tail rather lig-hter than the back, and lightish at the tip. Head like 

 that of Belideus breviceps, but with a slightly sharper snout. The tail has the fur 

 no longer on the basal half than on the back, the apical third of the length being 

 gradually more bushy, from the greater length of the hair. Ears brown. The fur 

 of the body is soft and dense, the hairs grey at the base, and blackish and tipped 

 with brownish white at the end; the fur of the tail is brownish throughout. 

 Teeth : Anterior incisor above more than twice the length of the others, and rather 

 broader near the edge than at the base ; second incisor shorter than the third, which 

 is triangular; space between third incisor and canine equal to length of second 

 incisor; canine conical, shorter than the first, but longer than the third incisor; 

 space between canine and next premolar one-third the width of the canine ; second 

 premolar half the length of the canine, first a little longer, both triangular and 

 single-rooted ; third premolar as long as the canine, or one-third longer than the 

 next molar, double-rooted, and triangular. First three molars quadrate, with two 

 blunt tubercles on outer and two on inner edge; fourth or last molar smallest, 

 triangular, with one tubercle behind and two in front. The molars and second 

 and third premolars are in continuous contact. Lower jaw : All the teeth in con- 

 tinuous series without interval; incisors long, nearly horizontal, sharp-pointed; 

 first three premolars small, short, and obtuse, the antero-posterior extent of the 

 first greatest; third least, but all of one height ; fourth premolar twice the height 

 of the others, triangular, with a slight lobe at back of base ; first molar with anterior 

 half forming a conical lobe nearly twice the height of the last premolar and of the 



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