484 THE TASMANIAN WOLF. 
THE large-eared, woolly-furred little animal which is here represented, is closely allied 
to the bandicoots, but at once distinguishable from them by the peculiarity of structure 
which has earned for it the generic title of Cheeropus, or “ swine-footed.” 
Upon the fore-feet there are only two toes, which are of equal length, and armed with 
sharp and powerful hoof-like claws, that bear no small resemblance to the foot of a pig, and 
are not only porcine in their external aspects, but in the track which they leave upon the 
ground when the creature walks on soft soil. Slenderly and gracefully swinish, it is true, 
but still piggish in appearance though not m character. 
The CHaRopus was formerly desig- 
nated by the specific title of ecaudatus, or 
tailless, because the first specimen that 
had been captured was devoid of caudal 
appendage, and therefore its discoverers 
naturally concluded that all its kindred 
were equally curtailed of their fair pro- 
portions. But as new specimens came 
before the notice of the zoological world, 
it was found that the Charopus was rightly 
possessed of a moderately long and some- 
what rat-like tail, and that the taillessness 
of the original specimen was only the 
result of accident to the individual, and 
not the normal condition of the species. 
The size of the Chieropus is about equal 
to that of a small rabbit, and the soft, 
woolly fur is much of the same colour as 
that of the common wild rabbit. 
It is an inhabitant of New South 
Wales, and was first discovered by Sir 
a Thomas Mitchell on the banks of the 
ER (ae, Se TENA =p Murray River, equally to the astonishment 
of white men and natives, the latter de- 
claring that they had never before seen 
such a creature. The speed of the 
Cheeropus is considerable, and its usual 
haunts are among the masses of dense scrub foliage that cover so vast an extent of 
ground in its native country. Its nest is similar to that of the bandicoot, being made 
of dried grass and leaves rather artistically put together, the grass, however, predominating 
over the leaves. The locality of the nest is generally at the foot of a dense bush, or 
of a heavy tuft of grass, and it is so carefully veiled from view by the mode of its 
construction that it can scarcely be discovered by the eyes of any but an experienced 
hunter. 
The head of the Cheropus is rather peculiar, being considerably lengthened, eylindri- 
cally tapering towards the nose, so that its form has been rather happily compared to 
the neck and shoulders of a champagne bottle. The hinder feet are like those of the 
bandicoots, and there is a small swelling at the base of the toes of the fore-feet, which is 
probably the representative of the missing joints, more especially as the outermost toes 
are always extremely small in the bandicoots, to which the Cheropus is nearly allied. 
The ears are very large in proportion to the size of the animal. The pouch opens back- 
wards. The food of the Cheropus is said to be of a mixed character, and to consist of 
various vegetable substances and of insects. 
CHAROPUS.—Chwropus castandtis 
THE teeth of the Dasyurines, sharp-edged and pointed, indicate the carnivorous 
character of those animals to which they belong. At the head of these creatures is placed 
the TASMANIAN WOLF, or DoG-HEADED THYLACINUS, as it has often been named on account 
of the curious aspect of its thick head, and powerful, truncated muzzle. 
