74 INTRODUCTION. 



referred to the works of the authors quoted, and 

 especially to those of Professor Owen, of whose writings 

 it is seen I have freely availed myself, he having 

 especially devoted his attention to study of the Mar- 

 supiata. 



In conclusion, I may remark that the descriptions 

 contained in this work are nearly all of them care- 

 fully drawn up hy myself, from the original specimens 

 contained either in the Museum at Paris, the British 

 Museum, or that of the Zoological Society. 



In pursuance of the plan of the Naturalist's Lib- 

 rary, English names are given to the various species, 

 hut I have not generally adopted the names contained 

 in Pennant, Shaw, and others, nor yet those hy 

 which certain species are known in the Colonies, 

 though those names are noticed in the observations 

 on the species, to enable the reader, especially in the 

 Colonies, to identify them. Such names as Native 

 Hyaena and Tyger, Spotted Marten, Native Cat, 

 Native Devil, Bandicoot, &c. only tend to keep up 

 erroneous notions. The Native Hyaena has no affin- 

 ities with the real Hyaena, nor are there any real 

 Native Martens and Cats in Australia, the term 

 Bandicoot (used for some of the species of Perameles,) 

 is applied in India to several different animals, but 

 none of them are allied to the animals called Ban- 

 dicoots in Australia. 



