648 



COMPENDIUM OF GENERIC DISTINCTIONS. 



Sub-family. — Peramelina. 



Very rat-like in general aspect. 



Teeth.— Middle incisors of upper jaw not longer than the others. 

 Head.— Elongated, the snout being sharp, long, and pointed. 

 Feet.— Second and third toes of hinder feet joined as far as the 

 claws— Thumb-joint of hinder feet very small. 



Genus. — Perameles. 



Teeth.— I. 



= 48. Upper and 

 Molars 



5=5, c. ^ P. t» M. t± 



3_ 3 ' l_l' 3—3 4-h1 



outer incisors on each side separated from the others, 

 squared, with tubercles on the crown. 



F ee t.— Outer toe of fore-feet very short, and apart from the 

 others— Thumb of hind-foot without a claw, sometimes entirely 

 wanting. 



Tail. — Rather short. 



Gen us. — Chceropus. 



Teeth. — As in Perameles. 

 Feet. — Fore-feet with two toes, 

 hind-feet without thumb-joint. 

 Tail.— Small and slight. 



resembling those of swine ; 



Teeth.— I. 



Sub-family. — Dasyurina. 

 Canines longer than incisors. 



Feet.— Fore-feet with five toes ; hinder feet either five or three- 

 toed ; thumb small, and without claw ; second toe separated 

 from third. 



Tail. — Covered with hair, not prehensile. 



Teeth.— I. 



External 



•Paracyon (or Tliylacinus). 



\ c. t 1 , P. »=* M. ±=* = 4 

 3—3 1—1 3—3 4— t 



incisor on each side is the strongest— Canines very long, powerful, 

 and sharply pointed — Lastmolars of upper jaw smaller than others; 

 molars furnished with one large pointed cusp in centre, and two 

 smaller lateral, one blunt cusp on inner side of crown. 



Feet.— Fore-feet with five toes, the middle being slightly the 

 longest— Hinder feet with four toes— Claws straight, strong, and 

 blunt. 



Tail. — Moderate, thick at root, covered with short hair. 



Genus. — Diabolus. 



Teeth.— I. 



= 43. 



Incisors 



a i 1 1 9 3 4 4 



!=! C. — , P. — , M. — 

 3—3 1—1 3—3 4— t 



arranged regularly without any interval, and of same length. 

 Canines long and powerful. Grinding surface of upper molars 

 triangular, the first having four sharp cusps, the second and 

 third five, and the fourth three. All the molars of lower jaw 

 covered with sharp cusps. 

 Head. — Short, and large in proportion. 

 Feet. — Thumb of hinder feet almost wanting. 

 Tail.— Short. 



Genus. — Dasyurus. 



Teeth. — As in Diabolus, but not so strongly carnivorous. 

 Tail. — Long, and heavily covered with hair. 



Genus. — Phascogale. 



Teeth.— I. 



4-^ 



c. 



= 40. Two middle 



3-3' 1—1 3—3 4—4 



upper incisors longer than others, and separated from them by a 

 narrow space ; they are slightly curved, and projecting ; the 

 outermost incisors are the smallest. Canines not so large as in 

 the preceding genera. The third premolar of lower jaw is 

 smaller than the others. 

 Tail.— Covered with short hair, and often tufted at extremity. 



Genus. — Antechinus. 



Teeth.— As in PhascAgale, except that the two middle upper 

 incisors are not larger than the others. 

 Tail.— Sparsely sprinkled with very short hairs, and very long. 



Genus. — My rmecobi us. 



Teeth.— I. 



= 54. 



Incisors 



ir* c. 1 =i, p. *=*, m. «=? 



3—3 1—1 3—3 6—6 



very small, pointed, and slightly compressed, separated from 

 each other by considerable intervals — Canines hardly longer than 

 premolars — Molars very small, and separated from each other by 

 a slight interval ; covered with sharp, conical tubercles. 



Head. — Pointed, skull very small. 



Feet.— Hinder feet with four toes, the thumb being wanting, 

 the claws curved, compressed, and sharp. 



Tail. — Long, and very bushy. 



Sub-family. — Didelphina. 

 5—5 

 4—4 



Feet.— Furnished with five toes, the thumb of the hinder foot 

 being broad, opposable to the other toes, 



Teeth. — Incisors always 



, and without a claw. 



Genus. — Didelphys. 



Teeth.- 



= 50. Two middle 



t* C. M P. ?=?, M. t± 

 4—4 1—1 3—3 4—4 



incisors of upper jaw rather longer than others, and separated 



from them by a slight interval — Upper canines stronger than the 



lower — Premolars conical — Molars furnished with sharp cusps. 



Head. — Long, gape of jaw very far back. 



Pouch. — Tolerably developed. 



Tail. — Long, covered with fur at the base, and with scales 

 towards the extremity; prehensile. 



Genus. — Cheironectes. 



Feet. — Toes of the hinder feet connected by a web. There is 

 also a development of the pisiform bone, which supports a fold 

 of the skin, and looks like a sixth toe. 



Pouch. — Well developed. 



Tail. — Longer than body. 



Family. — Ph6cid.e. 



Teeth. — Incisors variously deciduous ; molars with flattened 

 crowns, or sometimes furnished with cusps. 



Feet. — Furnished with five toes, short and palmate; the hinder 

 feet being turned backwards so as to approach each other. 



Body. — Gradually tapering from the shoulders to the tail, which 

 is very short and conical. Clothed with smooth hair, pressed 

 firmly ag.dnst the body. 



Sub-family. — Phocina. 



5 5 q 6 



Teeth. — Incisors permanent ; molars or . 



5 — 5 5 — 5 



Ears. — Very small, or wanting. 



Teeth.— I. 



-Leptonyx. 



„ 3—3 „ 3—3 „„ _ . 



P. , M. = 32. Incisors 



3—3 3—3 



Genus.- 



, o. i=* 



2—3 1-1 



much pointed ; molars divided into three long, conical, and 

 slightly curved points. 



Head. — Muzzle narrow and elongated. 



Neck. — Long and tapering. 



Limbs. — Nails very small, especially those of the hinder feet. 



Genus. — Stemmatopus. 



Teeth.— I. 



30. 



Incisors 



2 ^, c. ^ P. t- 3 , M. ^ 



1—1 1—1 3—3 3—2 



conical ; canines stout and large. 



Head. — Adult male furnished with a large membranous and 

 muscular sac, which is divided into two channels by a develop- 

 ment of the septum of the nose. 



Genus.- 



^ C. ti, r 

 2—2 1—1 8- 



mplars except the first furnished with double roots. 



Teeth.— I. 



-Phoca. 

 P. *=" M. 



= 34. 



All the 



