﻿184 Allen's naturallst's library. 



house, "the true molars are very small, and longer than broad ; 

 those of the upper jaw presenting numerous small tubercles ; 

 in the lower jaw the outer edge of the molars is produced and 

 divided by notches, so as to leave three or four bristly points in 

 each. On the outer side of each molar," excepting the more 

 anterior ones of the series, "are several small, blunt tubercles, 

 which must be nearly on the level of the gum in the living 

 animal. Between all the teeth, both of the upper and lower 

 jaws, excepting the four posterior molars of the lower jaw, there 

 is a space which is sometimes er^ual to the width of the teeth, 

 but generally less. The ramus of the lower jaw is twisted in 

 such a manner that the outer surface of the true molars comes 

 in contact with the masticating surface of those of the lower 

 jaw." 



In addition to the similarity of the teeth, the genus shows a 

 resemblance to the extinct Jurassic Marsupials of Europe in 

 the presence of a narrow but well-defined channel, known as 

 the mylo-hyoid groove, on the inner side of each branch, or 

 ramus, of the lower jaw. 



That the genus, hke the fish Ceratodus of the rivers of Queens- 

 land, and several other peculiar Australian types, is a direct 

 survivor from the Secondary fauna of Europe, there seems no 

 reasonable doubt. 



I. BANDED ANT-EATER. MYRMECOBIUS FASCIATUS. 



Myrmecobius fasciatus^ Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1836, p. 



69 ; Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 312 (1888). 



{Plate XXX.) 



Characters. — Fur short, close, rough, and almost spiny. 



General colour bright rufous, grizzled on the head, and 



darkening posteriorly, where it is ornamented with a series of 



broad transverse white bands ; a white stripe over each eye ; 



under-parts clear pale yellow. Ears pointed, and clothed 



