THE PERAMELES. 151 



jaw the molars are longer than broad, they are divided 

 in the middle by a transverse notch^ and present 

 each four principal pointed tubercles, which are of 

 larger size than those of the upper jaw. The fore- 

 feet have three well-developed toes, of which the 

 outer one is the smallest ; the claws are very large 

 and strong, solid and but slightly arched, and in fact 

 well suited to the burrowing habits of these animals. 

 Besides these toes there are two tubercles, one on the 

 outer, and the other on the inner side of the foot, 

 which are the rudiments of the remaining two toes — 

 they are each furnished with a minute rounded nail. 

 In the hind feet, which are long, there is a central 

 very long toe, armed with a large broad nail, which 

 is flat beneath, and slightly arched above ; on the 

 outer side of the central toe is another of moderate 

 size, and armed with a nail of the same description 

 as the last, and on the inner side of the foot there 

 are two slender toes, joined in a common integument 

 as in the Kangaroos, and furnished with a double 

 hollow claw ; on the under and inner side of the foot 

 (at least in P. nasuta,) are to be perceived the re- 

 mains of the inner toe, or that which asumes the 

 thumb-like character, in many marsupials its ex- 

 treme point is free, but there is no nail.'"" The some- 

 what short fore-legs and comparatively long hind- 



* It is remarkable, that in almost every case in which the 

 inner toe of the hintl-footis developed in the Marsupialia^ it 

 is opposable and assumes a thumb-like form. Even in the 

 Ornithorhynchus and Echidna, it is not on the same plane as 

 the other toes. 



