140 



MARSUPIALIA 



a long tail with the terminal part bushy, is distinguished from 

 Sminthopsis by the absence of the hallux and the great elongation 

 of the limbs. The tympanic bullee of the skull are also unusually 

 large, with the mastoid portion much swollen. A full account of 

 the habits and anatomy of this animal, which appears to be of very 

 rare occurrence, is given in the Proc. Zool. Soc. 1880, p. 454. 



Subfamily Myrmeeobiinse. Molars and premolars exceeding 

 the normal number of seven on each side. Tongue, long cylindrical, 

 and extensile. 



Myrmecobius. 1 Dentition : i , c ^, p f , m or $ ; total 52 or 56, 



FIG. 41. Myrmecdbius fasciatus. From Gould. 



being the largest number of teeth in any existing Marsupial. The 

 distinction between the molars and premolars is founded not on 

 a knowledge of the succession of the teeth, but on their form. The 

 teeth are all small and (except the four posterior inferior molars) 

 separated from each other by an interval.. Head elongated, but 

 broad behind. Muzzle long and pointed. Ears of moderate size, 

 ovate, and rather pointed. Fore feet with five toes, all having 

 strong, pointed, compressed claws, the second, third, and fourth 

 nearly equal, the fifth somewhat, and the first considerably, shorter. 

 Hind feet with no trace of hallux externally, but the metatarsal bone 

 1 Waterhouse, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1836, p. 69. 



