18S0.] MR. E. R. ALSTON ON ANTECHINOM YS. 455 



C.M.Z.S., in 1866, he proposed that Phascologale lanigera should 

 be made the type of a new genus, Antechinonujs^. The characters 

 given by him are very brief, and, as the animal appears to be ex- 

 tremely rare in collections, I trust that the following detailed de- 

 scription of this remarkable form will be useful to any zoologist who 

 may undertake the long-needed revision of the jNIarsupialia. For 

 the opportunity of fully examining the structure of Antechinomys, 

 and of comparing it with that of the aUied genera. Phascologale, Ant- 

 echinus, and Podabrus, I am indebted to the kindness of Mr. Clark, 

 Dr. Giinther, and Professor Flower. 



External Characters. 



General form slender ; head proportionally large, legs and tail 

 greatly elongated. Head narrow, conical ; muzzle produced and 

 pointed ; mufBe broad, naked, with a shght median groove, but not 

 cleft. Ears large, tapered, rounded at the tips, almost naked, except 

 at the base and along the front edge, where they are sparsely haired ; 

 in the interior of conch near the base of the anterior margin is a 

 curious free lobe, like the tragus of a Bat, about 0-15 inch in 

 length, and the same in breadth. This lobe is also found in the allied 

 genera. No perceptible pouch. 



Fo7-e limbs very long and slender, the forearm being about double 

 the length of the upper arm, scantily clad with short white hairs ; 

 fore feet very small, with five digits, of which the third is the longest, 

 the second and fourth subequal, and the first the shortest, each 

 armed with a small but well-developed claw ; soles with three large 

 pads, covered with minute tubercles. In Podabrus the fore limbs 

 are very much shorter, and the soles are similar, but have five tuber- 

 culated callosities instead of three. In Phascologale and Antechinus, 

 on the other hand, the fore feet are comparatively broad, and the 

 soles are naked, with elongated transversely striated pads. 



Hind limbs nearly as slender and still more elongated, the foot 

 longer than the forearm and nearly as long as the tibia ; the muscles 

 of the leg are only fleshy in their upper moiety, leaving the lower 

 half slender, like that of a bird ; the latter portion and the whole of 

 the foot, except the base of the toes, rather densely clothed with 

 small whitish hairs. Toes four in number, the first being absent, 

 the third and fourth equal and the longest, the second and fifth 

 subequal ; claws similar to those of the fore foot ; on the sole at the 

 base of the toes is a large crescentic callosity covered with small 

 tubercles. In all the other genera there are five toes, the first being 

 a short nailless thumb, which is placed furthest back in Podabrus, 

 but still extends almost to the base of the other digits. In that 

 genus the bind foot is almost as slender as in Antechinomys, although 

 much less elongated ; the metatarsus is more or less hairy behind, 

 and the callosity of the sole is similar, except that it is divided into 

 three; the tarsus is almost naked behind. Phascologale and Ant- 

 echinus have the hind foot very broad and short, with naked soles 

 and transversely striated pads, similar to those of the fore feet. 



' P. Z. S. 1866, p. 434. 



