184 



immediately surrounds the pouch, but outside of this the fur is 

 especically dense and of a darkish red colour. 



In the two specimens in which the pouch is rudimentary, a 

 similar but much narrower groove leads forwards from the anus, 

 and ends in a constricted cul-de-sac, which barely admits the end 

 of a darning needle. The same area of dense red fur surrounds 

 the region. 



All four females are from one to two cm. shorter than the 

 largest male in my possession ; but, on the other hand, both the 

 males of the last series are no larger than the average size of the 

 four females. 



Food : — The intestines of those specimens, the condition of 

 which permitted an examination of the contents to be made, con- 

 tained the debris of insects, amongst which those of ants were 

 conspicuously recognisable. 



In the preceding description of some of the organs no attempt 

 has been made to treat the subject exhaustively. The condition 

 of all the earlier specimens, except one, which I have desired 

 to keep as far as possible unmutilated for future reference, ren- 

 dered this difficult of accomplishment, and I have been satisfied 

 in making out as far as I could such details as were most 

 obvious, or of chief importance, in determining the affinities 

 of the animal. Unfortunately, no information whatever can be 

 given as to the brain, which, as might be expected under the 

 circumstances, was, in every case, in a state which rendered an ex- 

 amination quite hopeless. As regards the later specimens, though 

 I can plainly perceive that they are not in lirst-class condition, 

 they yet appear to be much superior to all, except one, of the 

 former series. These I have only examined superficially. 



CONCLUDING REMARKS. 



For the considerable delay that has elapsed since the publica- 

 tion in the Transactions of this Society, and sul>sequently in 

 the correspondence columns of " Nature^'' of some preliminary 

 notes on the structure of this new marsupial, I must seek 

 the indulgent consideration of naturalists, both in Australia 

 and in England, who have, not unnaturally, ])een looking 

 forward to a more complete description of a new animal 

 of the greatest jDossible interest from many points of view. 

 No one has regretted the delay more than I liave. In extenua- 

 tion, I must be allowed to say that scientihc workers in the 

 old world may not quite realize the difficulties undei' which 

 some of their colleagues in the new have to labour. Many of 

 these, primarily teachers, are not only, without adequate assist- 



