58 



to an aąuatic animal, mušt consequently be hencefortb discarded 

 from the history of the Chironectes, and the animal allowed to take 

 its place among conterminous genera, not as a compound of anoma- 

 lous and contradictory characters, but as a regular component link 

 in the scale of existence. That its habits are pūrely aąuatic, and 

 that it has not the power of ascending trees, is further proved by 

 the structure ofthe extremities. Thehind feet are broad likę those 

 of the Beaver ; the toes, including the thumb, united by a membrane, 

 and, with the exception of the thumb, provided with small falcular 

 claws ; the thumb, as in all the otlier Didelphidous Pedimana, is 

 ■vrithout a claw. The fore-fingers are separate, verylong and slen- 

 der, (the middle and ring-fingers the longest of all,) and the lašt 

 joint expanded and flattened as in the Geckos. The thumb is 

 placed rather behind the general line of the otherfingers, and seems 

 at first sight to be opposable : it perfectly resembles those of the 

 American Monkeys. The clavvs are very small and M'eak ; they do 

 not extend beyond the points of the fingers, nor even so far, and 

 are absolutely useless either for climbing or burro\ving. Consider- 

 ably behind the others, on the outside of the \vrist, there is a 

 lengthened tubercle resembling a sixth finger, but much shorter 

 than the others and ■vvithout any bone. What purpose this uniąue 

 organ may serve in the economy of the animal's life, it is impossible 

 to conjecture, but the long slender fingers are probably used to pick 

 out the food Avhichit carries in the cheek-pouches." — W. O. 



