276 POUCHED MAMMALS. 
anteater inhabits Western and Southern Australia, and lives mainly on the ground, 
although it will sometimes ascend trees. Its nutriment consists entirely of insects, 
and chiefly of ants and termites, which are collected by the long extensile tongue. 
Its favourite haunts are sandy regions, where there are numerous hollow tree-stems 
and ant-hills. 
THE POUCHED-MOLE. 
Family NOTORYCTIDE. 
In general bodily conformation the pouched-mole (Votoryctes typhlops) is a 
mole-like creature, measuring about 5 inches in total length, and covered with long, 
soft and silky hair of a 
light fawn colour, deepen- 
ing in parts to golden. 
There are no external 
ears, and the eyes are 
represented merely by 
small black dots buried 
in the skin. The nose 
and upper lip are pro- 
tected by a peculiar 
quadrangular leathery shield, the use of which to a burrowing animal is sufficiently 
obvious. The short limbs, which are covered with hair down to the claws, are very 
remarkable in structure. Both pairs are 
of nearly equal length, powerfully made, 
and furnished with five toes. In the 
fore-paws the third and fourth toes are 
enormously enlarged and furnished with 
huge triangular claws of great power; 
while in the hinder-pair the first toe is 
small and furnished with a small claw, and 
the others decrease in size from the second 
to the fifth. The short, cylindrical, and 
stumpy tail is hard and leathery, and 
marked by a series of distinct rings. The 
pouch opens backwards, and contains two 
very small teats. The teeth are small and 
weak,and appear to be forty in number. Of 
these three pairs in each jaw are incisors, and 
seven are cheek-teeth; the molars having FEET OF THE POUCHED-MOLE (about § nat. size). 
triangular three-cusped crowns, and much 1. Outer aspect of left fore-foot. 2. Profile view of 
"Ag j c same. 38. Inner aspect of same. 4. Upper surface of 
Teen ANES9 O8 ate golden Ole ee left hind-foot. 5, Palmar surface of same.—After 
mole appears to be a very rare and locally stirling. 
distributed animal, restricted to the deserts 
of Northern South Australia, lying to the north-east of Lake Eyre. Here it inhabits 
flats and hills of red sand, upon which grow poreupine-grass(7riodia)and acacias. Dr. 

UNDER SURFACE OF THE POUCHED-MOLE (2 nat. size).—After Stirling. 

