152 MR. WATERHOUSE ON A NEW 
two foremost fascie extend, over the back, from side to side of the body, and are rather 
indistinct, especially on the back ; behind these fascie there is a single pale line on one 
side of the body, which extends to the middle of the back, where it is met by two 
similar lines, or fascie, which have their origin on the opposite side: behind these, 
again, there are three distinct uninterrupted fascie, the last of which is about half an 
inch from the root of the tail. 
All these fascie are of a deep cream-colour ; and it must be observed that anterior 
to the foremost of them, there are some very obscure indications of fascie, consisting 
only of a few white hairs arranged in lines on the side of the body. 
. The latter half of the back in this animal, as in the last, is black, but it is more 
thickly interspersed with white and reddish hairs; the} anterior portion of the back is 
interspersed with black and white hairs (or, rather, the hairs are spotted with those 
colours), but its general hue is fulvous. The legs are of a buff colour. The chin, throat 
and under parts of the body are of a dirty yellow-white tint, approaching to a pale buff 
colour, on the posterior part. 
In. Lin. 
Length from nose to the root of the tail (measuring along the curve 
ofitheshacky gi i522%osy,Jo at Pe eee a ee | 
Length of tail (measured to the aid of i es 
Length of hind foot, to the end of the claws 
Length of the longest claw (which is that next the inner vanebe 
Length of fore foot to the end of the claws 
Length of the ear . : 
Width of ditto at the base . : 
Length from the nose to the anterior pakon A flac ear . 
Length from the nose to the eye . 
Or ooronwno 
aN 
With respect to the affinities of the genus Myrmecobius, I have much satisfaction in 
finding that my original conjecture’ (as to its being allied to the genus Phascogale) is 
in a great measure borne out by the structure of the skull, which I have since had an 
opportunity of examining, and have compared with drawings of that of the latter 
genus. 
Viewing the skull of Myrmecobius and that of Phascogale from above, we perceive a 
considerable degree of resemblance: the skull of Myrmecobius, however, differs in 
several points from that of Phascogale. But let us in the first place compare the skull 
of this latter animal with the crania of other species of the Dasywride,—a group in 
which I include the genera Thylacinus, Dasyurus, and Phascogale. 
If,we place side by side the skulls of the various species of these three genera (com- 
' See Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, Part IV., 1836., p. 69. 
oe 
_“? 
