MANUAL OF NATURAL HISTORY. 29 



five toes, furnished with claws, except inner 

 toes of hind feet ; plantigrade ; pouch some- 

 times rudimentary. Dentition in. ^ can. J~J 

 pre-molars |j, molars ^t molars tubercu- 

 lous. 



2. FAMILY. Dasyures (Dasyuridse). Head rather 



depressed, tip of muzzle naked ; five well 

 developed toes on fore feet, nails crooked; 

 hind feet with the thumb small resembling 

 a tubercle, or absent, and four disunited 

 toes ; tail long, well clothed, non-prehensile ; 

 pouch sometimes absent. Dentition in. **, 

 canines large, molars trenchant. 



3. FAMILY. Bandicoots (Peramelidse). Head long, 



very pointed, tip of muzzle naked; ears some- 

 times very large; outer toes of fore feet re- 

 sembling tubercles, the others fully deve- 

 loped; hind feet considerably longer than 

 fore, inner toes sometimes present, but rudi- 

 mentary, the two next united as far as the 

 nails, the fourth large and furnished with a 

 strong nail ; pouch opening backwards. Den- 

 tition in. ^ in. J~ J, pre-mo. Jj, molars j, 



4. FAMILY. Phalangers (Phalangistidse). Head 



broad, short, tip of muzzle naked, upper lip 

 cleft ; fore feet with five toes, armed with com- 

 pressed curved claws ; hind feet with a nail- 

 less opposable thumb, remainder furnished 

 v with curved claws, second and third toes 

 united; skin sometimes expanded from sides 

 of body and extended between fore and hind 



