122 THE DASYURES. 



species of much smaller size than either of the two 

 preceding, the four known species of Dasyurus 

 being but little inferior to the common cat in size or 

 equal to it, whilst the largest Phascogale is scarcely 

 equal to a full grown rat. In this genus the toes 

 of the fore-feet are more slender and elongated than 

 in Dasyurus, and so are those of the hind-feet, the 

 claws are also longer and more curved: circumstances 

 which would lead us to believe they climb trees 

 at least occasionally. The thumb on the hind-foot 

 is small and nailess : there are five toes to the fore- 

 feet, and four, besides the thumb, to the hind-feet : 

 the fleshy pads on the under side of the toes of the 

 hind-feet are very large. The tip of the muzzle is 

 naked and divided in the middle by a longitudinal 

 groove. The ears are of moderate size, their poste- 

 rior edge is emarginated., and they are naked, or but 

 sparingly clothed with hairs. In dentition they 

 approach still more near to the Opossums than the 

 typical Dasyures the teeth are : 



Incisors, f ; canines, \\\ ; false molars, |:| ; 

 true molars, |:|=46. The two foremost incisors 

 of the upper jaw are decidedly larger than the rest, 

 and separated from them by a small interspace ; the 

 other incisors are arranged three on each side, and 

 placed closely together ; in these respects resembling 

 the Opossums more nearly than Dasyurus, in which 

 the incisors are arranged in nearly a semicircle, and 

 are of equal size, or very nearly so. The incisors of 

 the lower jaw are inclined forwards and but slightly 

 upwards; the central pair are the largest. The canines 



