PERAMELES LAGOTIS. 153 



indicate, tliat in the wild state, this animal had been 

 feeding upon vegetable substances. 



The Perameles, as well as the Opossums (Didel- 

 phys^ have the stomach simple, and a moderately 

 long intestmum coecum, they agree also with the true 

 Opossums, in having ten incisors in the upper jaw. 

 In general structure they furnish a beautiful link 

 between the last mentioned animals and the Kan- 

 garoo family. 



RABBIT-EARED PERAMELES. 



Perameles lagotis. 



Plate XIL 



Perameles lagotis, lieid. Proceedings of the Zoological 

 Society of London, for December 1836, p. 129. 



Size of a rabbit ; head very long ; muzzle much 

 attenuated ; ears large, nearly as long as the head ; 

 tail long, furnished on the upper side with long bushy 

 hairs ; tarsi long ; fur very long and soft. General 

 tint of the upper parts of head and body, ashy-grey ; 

 sides of head, shoulders, and sides of body very pale 

 vinous rust colour ; under parts of head and body, 

 and inner side of limbs, white ; fore-legs and feet 

 white, a deep greyish patch on the outer side of the 

 former ; tarsi white above, the hairs covering the 

 under surface, (which are rather long) are of a smoky 

 brown colour; the fore part of the hinder-legs is 

 white, the outer and hinder part is blackish grey, a 

 whitish line is extended backwards on the sides of 



