144 



DESCRIPTION OF WOMBAT 



Sub-Fam. 3, 'Pha.scolomyma.e.—Ph ascolo7nys, the Wombat, is 

 the only genus of this sub-family. This animal has the appearance 

 of a heavily-built Marmot, like which it has a mere stump for a 

 tail, and a pair of strong chisel-shaped and Rodeut-like incisors, 

 which, however, differ from those of Rodents in having a complete 

 coating of cement. All the teeth of the animal are rootless, and 

 there are no canines. The incisors have enamel on the front and 

 lateral faces only. The dental formula is I ^ C |^- Pm ^ M ^. The 

 affinities with other Diprotodont Marsupials are shown by the 

 commencing syndactyly of the second and third toes. The 



Fig. 71. — Womhat. Phascokmys icomhat. x 



rhinarium is naked or hairy. There is a rudimentary cheek- 

 pouch, as in Phascolarctos. The Wombat has, like the 

 Koala, and also the Beaver — which does away with some of the 

 value of the comparison — a peculiar gland - patch in the 

 stomach, a raised area of collected glands. In no other Marsupial 

 is such a structure found, " whilst in the two forms under con- 

 sideration its identity is almost precise. That such a unique 

 structure should have been independently developed in two forms 

 imrelated to each other, appears to me to be in the highest degree 

 improbalile." This is Mr. Forbes' opinion. It might be strength- 

 ened by adding the observation that, as there are other points of 

 likeness between the Wombat and the Koala, it seems more unlikely 

 that a structure so nearly identical should have been twice 



