131 



the district of York. They feed apou Itirge maggots and the roots 

 of trees, and do considerable damage to the maize and potato crops 

 by burrowing. A specimen kept by him in confinement became iu 

 a few days very docile, but was irritable, and resented the slightest 

 affront or ill usage. It took bread, which it held in its fore-paws. 

 A young one to" which it gave birth unfortunately escaped, after 

 being carried in the mother's pouch for several days." 



Mr. Reid considers the distinctions between this and the rest of 

 the species belonging to the genus Perumdes so marked, that sho\dd 

 more of the same form be discovered, the above characters would 

 constitute a subgenus to which the name of Macrotis might be 

 applied. 



Mr. Waterhouse exhibited a second specimen of Myrmecobins, 

 and directed the attention of the Meeting to certain differences ex- 

 isting between it and the one upon which he had founded the cha 

 racters of the genus, and described under the specific name of 'fus- 

 ciatus.' 



The present animal differs from the one previously described in 

 having the black and fulvous colouring of the back less decided, 

 owing to a larger proportion of interspersed white hairs. The fascia;, 

 instead of being white, are of a yellowish cream-colour, and they also 

 differ in number and arrangement. Commencing from the tail, the 

 three first are distinct and uninterrupted, the intermediate spaces 

 being about ^ an inch in width, black, with white hairs interspersed, 

 and a few of an ochraceous colour. The fourth is also distinct, but 

 instead of being continued across the back, it is met by two fascia; 

 from the opposite side. The two following are continuous, but less 

 distinct than either of the foregoing. Bej-ond these, the fasciae are 

 almost obsolete, there being only faint indications of them on the 

 sides of the body. 



The most important distinction, however, exists in the teeth, the 

 present specimen possessing altogether four more molars than the 

 one brought before the notice of the Society on a previous occasion. 

 The entire number of teeth is 52, (26 in each jaw), and the -5 posterior 

 molars arc placed closely together, differing in that respect from 

 those of the previously examined specimen. 



The animal was brought from Van Diemen's Land, and others 

 similar to it were observed scratching at the roots of trees, and 

 feeding upon the insects which are generally abundant in such situ- 

 ations. 'I'heir favourite haunts are stated to be the localities in 

 which the Port Jackson willow is most plentiful. 



Mr. Waterhouse remarked that although the differences between 

 the two animals were considerable, yet he did not consider the di- 

 stinctions such as to justify his characterizing the one then before 

 the Meeting as a second species. 



A Paper was then read by William Ogilby, Esq., with a view of 

 pointing out the characters to which the most importance should be 

 attached in establishing generic distinctions among the Rinnhuiniin. 



