1895.] SOTTTH-AMEEICAIf MARSUPIAL. 877 



relationship at all (and only a parallelism) between the American 

 Epatwrthldce and the Australian Phalangendce. The fact, therefore, 

 that no forms at all similar have been found in any part of the 

 Northern Hemisphere, while, with their headquarters in Australia, 

 Diprotodonts have existed in South America at least since early 

 Miocene times, is undeniably very much in favour of the views of 

 those who advocate a former southern connection between Australia 

 and S. America. So long as the Bidelphyidte were the only South- 

 American Marsupials known, there was no evidence from the 

 Mammals in favour of, or against, the Southern Continent theory, for 

 Opossums occur fossil half round the Northern Hemisphere, and are, 

 perhaps, merely recent immigrants into S. America. But of late 

 years the strictly Dasyurine relationship of some of the Santa Cruz 

 Polyprotodonts (e. g. Prothylacinus) has been recognized, and now 

 to add to this comes the proof that the Patagonian Diprotodonts are 

 really related to the Australian ones ; and as both of these groups are 

 in South America of undeniably ancient date, and wholly unknown 

 in any part of the Northern Hemisphere, the case assumes quite a 

 different aspect, and opponents of the theory will probably find 

 it a very difficult matter to explain away the presence of such 

 typically Australian animals in South America. 



The systematic information derived from the specimen under 

 examination may be tabulated as follows : — 



Order MAESUPIALIA. 



Suborder Dipeotodonta. 



Family Epanorthid^. 



Non-syndactylous. Hallux present ; not widely opposable. 

 Incisors |- (in the recent genus). Lower posterior premolar not 

 hypertrophied. 



Genus C^nolestes. 



Form as in Pkascologale. Fifth fore-fiuger vrith a nail instead 

 of a claw. Tail long, more or less prehensile. Eudimentary 

 pouch present. 



Ante-orbital vacuities present. Palate very imperfect. Pre- 

 molars -f, the two posterior below large and functional. 



1. C^JfOLESTEa ruiiiGrN'osus (Tomes). 



Size of a "Water-Shrew. 

 Hub. Ecuador (L. Fraser). 



2. C^NOLESTES OBSCUETJS, Thos. 



Size of a small Eat. 



Hub. Bogota (G. D. OhiU). 



P.S., Dec. 31, 1895. — The following remarks on Cmnolestes 

 obs urus have just been received from Mr. Child : — 



" The little animal you speak of is called ' Eaton Euncho,' which 

 Peoc. Zool. Soc— 1895, No. LVI. 56 



