FAUNAS OF ‘THE. POS?-PLIOCENE. 349 
its teeth, Dzprofodon shows itself to be closely allied to the 
living, grass-eating Kangaroos; but the hind-limbs were not 
so disproportionately long. In size, also, Déprotodon must 
have many times exceeded the dimensions of the largest of 
its living successors, since the skull measures no less than 
three feet in length. The other form in question is Zhylacoleo 
(fig. 259), which is believed by Professor Owen to belong to 
the same group as the existing “‘ Native Devil” (Dasyurus) of 
Van Diemen’s Land, and therefore to have been flesh-eating 
and rapacious in its habits, though this view is not accepted 
by others. The principal feature in the skull of Zhy/acoleo is 
NN 
\W 
PATTI 
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‘ j ss ri Uf 
Bez LZ WL 
Fig. 259.—Skull of Thylacoleo. Post-Pliocene, Australia. Greatly reduced. 
(After Flower.) 
the presence, on each side of each jaw, of a single huge tooth, 
which is greatly compressed, and has a cutting edge. ‘This 
tooth is regarded by Owen as corresponding to the great cut- 
ting tooth of the jaw of the typical Carnivores, but Professor 
Flower considers that 7ylacoleo is rather related to the Kan- 
garoo-rats. The size of the crown of the tooth in question is 
not less than two inches and a quarter ; and whether carnivo- 
rous or not, it indicates an animal of a size exceeding that of 
the largest of existing Lions. 
The order of the Zdentates, comprising the existing Sloths, 
Ant-eaters, and Armadillos, and entirely restricted at the present 
day to South America, Southern Asia, and Africa, is one alike 
