538 MARSUPIALIA. 



humerus without entepicondylar foramen. Nototherium Ow., rather 

 smaller than Diprotodon. 



Fam. 5. Epanort hidae. American Diprotodonts, without syndactylism ; 

 mostly extinct. The only living genus Caenolestes Thomas (Hyracodon) 

 with small vestigial pouch and dentition ic\p%m%; mountains 

 of Ecuador and Colombia, 2 species, several extinct genera from the 

 Eocene of Patagonia. Cimolestes, Telacodon and Batodon are also found 

 in the Upper Cretaceous of N. America, and Epanorthus in the Upper 

 Cretaceous and Eocene of Patagonia. The extinct Abderitidae and 

 Garzonidae from the Eocene of Patagonia also come here. 



Sub-order 2. Polyprotodontia. 



Incisors numerous, sub-equal, four or five above and three 

 or four below ; canines large, molars cuspidate. Without 

 syndactylism except in the Pcramelidae. Mostly carnivorous 

 and insectivorous. America and Australia. 



Fam. 1. Peramelidae. Bandicoots. Fossorial, insectivorous, hind 

 legs longer than fore, with syndactylism of digits 2 and 3 of the pes. Manus- 

 with 2 or 3 of the middle digits long and functional, the others small or 

 absent ; pes with 4 or 5 digits, unequal in size, digits 2 and 3 slender, 

 united ; hallux small or absent. Stomach simple, caecum present, pouch 

 opening backwards. Dentition i - c \ p f in . Australia and 

 Papua. Peragale Gray, rabbit-bandicoots, digits 2, 3 and 4 of manu& 

 large, digits 1 and 5 present but small and clawless ; hallux absent ; ears 

 large ; omnivorous ; Australia ; 2 species. Perameles Geoff., fore limbs 

 as in Peragale, hallux present, clawless, ears medium ; embryo with pla- 

 centa (p. 533) ; Australia, Tasmania and N. Guinea. Choeropus Ogilb.^ 

 pig-footed bandicoots, fore-limbs with digits 2 and 3 only functional,, 

 digit 4 small, digits 1 and 5 absent ; hallux absent ; ears long ; omnivorous,. 

 Australia, 1 species. 



Fam. 2. Dasyuridae. Predatory, carnivorous or insectivorous, with 

 subequal limbs, usually pentadactyle, but hallux sometimes absent - 

 no caecum ; pouch present or absent, opening forwards or downwards. 

 Dentition i c \ p ^~ m ^ ; canines large, 'molars cusped, 

 milk tooth minute, shed during infancy ; Papua and Australia. Thyla- 

 cinus Temm., Tasmanian wolf, size and build of a wolf, back transversely 

 banded with black, hallux absent, dentition i % c \ p f m , Tas- 

 mania (fossil in N. S. Wales), 1 species. Sarcophilus F. Cuv. (Diabolus)? 

 Tasmanian devil, about the size of a badger, body powerful, blotched 

 with white, hallux absent, dentition i$c\p%m%, milk premolar, 

 reduced, and absorbed or shed before the other teeth cut the gums ; Tas- 

 mania (fossil in N. S. Wales), 1 species. Dasyurus E. Geoff., native cats,, 

 body viverrine, profusely spotted with white, hallux sometimes present, 

 dentition as in the last, but more insectivorous ; Papuan and Australian 

 regions, 5 species, feed on birds and eggs, nocturnal. Phascologale Temm. , 

 small, not larger than a rat, hallux present, dentition i c-\ p f m , 

 arboreal, insectivorous ; pouch absent, represented by fold of skin ;. 



