140 MR. F. E. BEDDARD ON THE POUCH AND [Feb. 3, 



variety of different types, shows that the transitory existence of a 

 pouch in the young male is quite a common feature among 

 Marsupials, especially perhaps among the carnivorous forms. 



A pouch was found in the young male Dasyiirus ursinus up to 

 the age of four months (its length being at that time 19*8 cm.), and 

 one occurs in the young Acr abates pygmeea. 



A pouch was barely traceable in the young male Phalangista vulpina, 

 just visible in a 4*6 cm. long Belideus breviceps, three weeks old. 

 The adult males of these forms have of course no pouch nor trace of 

 one. 



In Perameles nasuta there was a trace of a pouch discoverable in 

 the young, but none in Halmaturus thetidis. 



The pouch is stated to open backwards in Dasyurus, as Owen says 

 of Thylacimis and MM. Eydoux and Laurent of Perameles. 



It is evident from the paper to which I have referred, that the 

 existence of a pouch, transitory or otherwise, among the male 

 Marsupials is not confined to the carnivorous section of the Order, 

 though apparently more commonly met with and longer persistent 

 among the members of that section. 



As the organ in the male Thylacine has not to my knowledge 

 been illustrated, I have thought it desirable to have the accom- 

 panying drawing (p. 139) prepared. 



The figure shows the pouch, which was sketched by Mr. Smit 

 immediately after the death of the animal, and the scrotum con- 

 taining the testicles, which depends from the interior of the pouch. 

 The drawing also shows that there is not merely a tract of naked 

 skin surrounding the testes, but a deepish pouch which is over- 

 hung by the surrounding integument ; the pouch is deepest in 

 front and gradually gets shallower behind; it follows therefore that the 

 pouch is directed backwards as in Perameles. The general outline 

 of the pouch is oval, or rather pear-shaped, for there is a narrow 

 continuation of it backwards ; the scrotum supported on a short 

 stalk depends from the interior of the pouch nearer to the posterior 

 than to the anterior extremity. 



The Brain. 



In order to injure the skull as little as possible, the brain was 

 extracted in two halves, the skull having been sawn through the 

 median vertical longitudinal plane. The brain was hardened in 

 alcohol, and had a curious yellow colour not always seen in brains so 

 prepared ; the brains of a Kangaroo and a Wallaby, which I had 

 prepared for comparison with that of the Thylacine, were white ; on 

 the other" hand, the brain of a Sloth (also preserved in alcohol) 

 showed the same brownish-yellow tint. 



The total length of the brain, measured from the end of the cere- 

 bellum to the anterior extremity of the olfactory lobe, was 75 millim. 



Greatest length of cerebral hemispheres 48 millim. 



Greatest height of cerebral hemispheres 2Q millim. 



These measurements refer in all cases to the hardened brain. 



