202 



THE PREDACEOUS MARSUPIALS. 



which the animal inspired, even though it is 

 by no means a large species, measuring only 

 about 28 inches from the tip of its snout to 

 the root of its tail, which is about 1 2 inches 

 in length. 



The Tasmanian devil is an ugly animal, 

 with a thick head, blunt snout, compact body, 

 short, stoutly-built legs, and moderately long 



tail. Its coarse hide is quite black except 

 for a white stripe on the breast. Its formid- 

 able dentition comprises forty-two teeth, all 

 of which are distinguished by their massive 

 form. They are emphatically the teeth of 

 a beast of prey. The strong canines are 

 sharp-pointed, the two premolars conical. 

 Behind the first three molars, which arc 



_. 236. -Tile Tasnianian Wulf \ThyUicintls ly 



genuine carnassials, there follows in the upper 

 jaw a smaller tubercled tooth, while in the 

 lower jaw the four molars are three-lobed 

 and have a cutting edge. No bone can 

 withstand these terrible shears. 



The jaws of the Tasmanian Wolf ( Thyla- 

 cinns cynocephalus), fig. 256, are armed in the 

 same manner; but there is an additional pre- 

 molar, and consequently the total number of 

 the teeth is brought up to forty-six. The gen- 

 eral habit of this largest beast of prey among 

 the still surviving marsupials resembles that 

 of a dog with a long body and rather short 

 legs. The head has the profile of a grey- 

 hound's, with erect ears and very wide mouth. 



The length of the animal is rather more than 

 3 feet, exclusive of the tail, which is about 

 half that length. The tail is round and 

 tapers to a point. The hair is short and far 

 from thick, the colour a brownish-gray on 

 the back, rather lighter underneath. I*"rom 

 twelve to fourteen black transverse stripes 

 extend from the back down the sides. 



The animal inhabits Tasmania, and leads 

 a nocturnal life. It is very sensitive to light. 

 Formerly it was spread over the whole island 

 and devastated the sheep-flocks of the settlers, 

 who called it "the striped wolf"^ At the 



' This name, I am informed, is no longer used, the only names 

 now given to the animal in Tasmania being the "native tiger" or 

 "native hysena." — Tr. 



