BY N. DE MIKLOUHO-MACLAY. 717 



The absence of the 5th upper incisor is one of the principal 

 characters which distinguishes the Brachymelis from the other 

 Perarnelidse. The incisors of both jaws stand close together; those 

 of the upper are nearly of the same size and a trifle smaller than in 

 the lower jaw. The third mandibular incisor is the broadest and 

 bicuspid. 



The Canines are small, the maxillary ones of about the same size 

 as the first premolar, the mandibular ones narrower than those of 

 the upper jaw. 



The premolars are slightly different one from the other in their 

 shape, increasing in size from the front backward. The mandibular 

 premolars are a little larger than these of the maxilla. In both 

 jaws, the premolars stand not close together but leaving a space 

 between each tooth. In the lower jaw there is also a space between 

 each tooth. In the lower jaw there is a space between the third 

 premolars and the first molar. 



The molars are all very much worn down, so that the cusps can 

 not be well recognised, with the exception of the last mandibular 

 molar, where the 5 cusps are distinct. 



The grinding surface of the molars is not horizontal, but in those 

 of the upper jaw, sloping to the internal margin, while in those of 

 the mandibula, the " grinding-down " appears in the opposite 

 direction, i.e., the internal margin is the highest. 



On the palate, 10 distinct ridges are to be distinguished. (Fig. 3.) 



The pouch of the female Brachymelis is very long, with an 

 entrance as usual directed towards the tail. In the £ of which I 

 gave the measures, the distance from the anterior margin of the 

 entrance to the bottom of the pouch measured about 50 mm. (2 in.) 

 and 83 mm. (3, 3 in.) from the bottom of the posterior fold of the 

 pouch near the anus. 



The pouch contained 6 nipples (1) arranged in 2 parallel longi- 

 tudinal rows. Four of the nipples could be seen through the 



(1) Waterhouse (Mammalia, Vol. 1, p. 345,) gives the number of mamma) 

 of the Peramelida?— 8 ; he mentions, that Prof. Owen found eight nipples in 

 P. nasuta, arranged in two slightly curved longitudinal rows, but adds that 

 possibly this number may not be constant. Peters and e Doria (Euumerazione 

 dei Mammiferi, etc., p. 354) say that P. Doreyanus has a very developed 

 pouch with S nipples. 

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