1880.] 



MR. E. R. ALSTON ON ANTECHINOMYS. 



457 



In the /ore limb (fig. 1) the scapula has the usual characters of the 

 group, the spine being boldly deflected over the postscapular fossa. 

 The humerus, which has the usual supracondylar foramen, is almost 

 straight, slender and simple, with hardly any muscular impressions ; 

 that of Podabrus is quite similar, but in Phascologale and Antechinus 

 the bone is curved, and the deltoid and supinator ridges are very 

 prominent. The greatly elongated radius is straighter in Antechi- 

 nomys than in the allied forms, and consequently is closely applied 

 to the ulna for the greater part of its length, although remaining 

 perfectly free. The bones of the manus are small and delicate. 



a >si 



Bones of fore limb of Antechinorays (a) and Anf echinus (b). 

 Fig. 2. 



Bones of hind limb of Antechinomys (a) and Antechinus (b). 



In the hind limb (fig. 2) the femur is even more slender than in 

 Podahrus, and the lesser trochanter is less developed. The tibia and 

 fibula are elongated ; the latter is very slender, the former compara- 

 tively stout, and so little curved that it and the fibula, although 

 quite free, are closely applied throughout their lower half; in the 

 other forms these bones are only in contact near their lower extre- 

 mities. The calcaneum is considerably produced behind, forming a 

 very prominent hiber calcis. Only four metatarsals are present (the 

 first being wanting), which are very slender and greatly elongated. 



