TilK DOC IIKADKI) TIM l,\( r 3,9 



the mouth is wider ; the tail is thick at the IMS,., becoming (DOM si,-,,,!,.,- towards the point ; it i* 



coveted with short, dose hairs of a brown odour: The genera] I'm- is short, and smooth, ,,f ,|,,,ky 



yellowish-brown, barred on the lower part of the back with abort lixtei; blaol 



broadest on tlie back and gradually taper!,,,; downwards, t wo ,,f whi, h extend a oODidnUc way down 



the thighs. The ground-colour of the back has a tint of dusky-gray. The ejOt in large, full, and 



black. 



Concealed in the caverns or fissures of the rocks .luring the day, then animals prowl .luring the 

 night inquest of prey. An individual was caught in a trap, baited wit.li kangaroo tl.-h, but lived 

 only a few hours, having. been hurt in securing it. It appeared stupid, inaclm-, and ferocious. It 

 emitted, from time to time, a short guttural ory, and, like the owl, was constantly drawing an, I 

 undrawing the nictitating membrane of the eye. In its stomach were found th.:"i,art! 

 remains of a porcupine ant-eater. 



Another genus* has the head conical, mid very much pointed; the gape very wide ; the ear< 



,- - 



j ^-< 



THE DOQ-HEAnH) TIIYI.A. INI s. 



moderate. There are five toes on the fore feet; and on the hind feet the great toe is reduced to a 

 tubercle, or is entirely absent. 



A third genus t is formed from a singular animal discovered by Sir Thomas Mitchell, on the 

 banks of the river Murray, during a journey in the interior of New South Wales. His notice is as 

 follows : "June 16th, 1836. The most remarkable incident of this day's journey was the discovery of 

 an animal of which I had seen only a head in a fossil state in the limestone caves of Wellington 

 Valley, where, from its very singular form, I supposed it to belong to some extinct species. The 

 chief peculiarity then observed was the broad head, and very long, slender snout, which resembled the 

 narrow neck of a wide bottle ; but in the living animal the absence of a tail was still more remarkable. 

 The feet, and especially the fore legs, were also singularly formed, the latter resembling those of a pig; 

 and the marsupial opening was downwards, and not upwards, as in the kangaroo, and others of that 

 class of animals. This quadruped was discovered by the natives on the ground ; but, on being chased, 

 it took refuge in a hollow tree, in which they captured it alive, all of them declaring that they had 

 IICMT before seen an animal of the kind. This was when the party had commenced the journey up 

 the left bank of the Murray, immediately after eros-iug that 



Uasvurus : Oci'ffrov. 



t Ch., 



