436 



Did. murina has it of the same proportions as to width, hut the height 

 is a little less. In this last circumstance it seemed to approach nearest 

 to the hedgehog. 



The sharp projection at the angle of the jaw also agreed with that of 

 the hedgehog. In that of didelphis there is a particular circumstance : 

 this projection bends inwards, with all the inferior edge of this part of the 

 jaw ; and, by carefully removing the surrounding stone, M. Cuvier dis- 

 covered this characteristic peculiarity in this fossil jaw. 



The examination of the teeth confirmed that which was taught by the 

 appearances of the jaw, since they possessed the general characters of 

 the teeth of insectivorous animals, characters absolutely proper to the 

 pedimanes, and above all to the sarigues. They were beset with pointed 

 tubercles, and not with cutting edges, nor a flat crown. 



After carefully comparing the teeth of the fossil jaw with those of the 

 other pedimanes, he concluded that they agreed with those of the dasy- 

 ure, those animals of New Holland of the genus Didelphis, with a tail 

 furnished with long hair, and not prehensile, and with the common sa- 

 rigue of America : but to which of these animals they approached the 

 nearest he was unable to determine. 



Examining the other parts of these fossil remains, he found, that their 

 numbers, forms, and proportions, fully agreed with those of the pedimanes. 

 Thus he found thirteen ribs, and thirteen dorsal vertebrae ; six very long 

 lumbar vertebrae, filling the space of six of the dorsal ; the sacral verte- 

 brae, and those of the beginning of the tail, possessing very large trans- 

 verse apophyses; the radius and ulna very distinct, and capable of 

 moving easily on each other ; the fibula separate from the tibia, having 

 a thin and enlarged head; the triangle of the scapula nearly similar; 

 in a word, nothing which appeared in this skeleton manifested any 

 important difference between it and that of the sarigue, and especially 

 of didelphis murena, with which, it being of the same size, it was carefully 

 compared. , 



The animals with a pouch, different from all other animals, have two 



