PHASCOGALE MINIMA. 14l 



yellow-grey tint, is of a dark and rich brown hue; 

 the under parts of the hody are deep grey, slight- 

 ly grizzled with white, whereas in Phas. flavipes, 

 the under parts are yellow arid white ; the most 

 important differences, however, consist in the more 

 attenuated and elongated form of the head, espe- 

 cially of the anterior portion ; the teeth, neverthe- 

 less, form an uninterrupted series, hence each tooth, 

 (especially the false molars,) has a proportionately 

 greater antero-posterior extent. The distance from 

 the fore part of the front incisors of the upper jaw to 

 the hinder part of the third true molar in Phas. 

 minima, is 7^ lines, whilst in Phas. flavipes, the 

 same measurement gives 6f lines ; the teeth are less 

 powerful than in the animal last mentioned, and the 

 incisors of the upper jaw form an uninterrupted series, 

 whilst in Phas. flavipes, there is an interspace on 

 either side between the anterior pair of incisors and 

 the lateral ones. In the elongated and slender form 

 of the muzzle, and more delicate teeth, the present 

 animal evinces an approach to the Myrmecobius ; its 

 fur is moderately soft, rather long and glossy, of a 

 deep slate-colour next the skin ; the hairs are most 

 of them narrowly annulated towards the apex with 

 rich brown, or yellow-brown ; the longer hairs are 

 black ; on the under parts of the body, the hairs 

 (which, like those of the upper parts, are of a deep 

 slate-grey at the base,) are slightly tipped with 

 brownish- white, or ash-colour ; the feet are covered 

 with dark brown hairs above (not yellow as in Phas. 

 flavipes ;) the tail is also dark brown, and on the 



