Bandicoots and Dasyuees. 265 



acterizes all the species of Kangaroos, but instead of 

 progressing by a series of bounds like the latter their 

 gait is a combination of running and leaping similar to 

 that of the hares; they are distinguished by having the 

 opening of the pouch turned backward instead of forward, 

 as is the ease with all other Marsupials. 



The Bandicoots live in the cooler and more mountainous 

 regions of Australia, and form burrows in their search 

 for roots and tubers often proving a nuisance to 

 settlers by ravaging potato fields and burrowing under 

 the walls of barns to get at the grain. There are two 

 genera of Bandicoots — the Perameles, resembling the rat 

 in form and the sparsely haired character of the tail, 

 which is represented by a half dozen or more species on 

 the continent of Australia, and the Choeropus-castanotis, 

 or Pig-footed Bandicoot, found only in South Australia. 

 They agree in general habits, but the Choeropus, instead 

 of living in burrows, make nests for themselves in the 

 thick underbrush where they easily escape notice. Their 

 fur is longer than that on the Perameles, and they have 

 slenderer legs and only two toes — the second and third — 

 on the fore feet, and only one on the hind feet — the 

 fourth — which bears the weight of the body; the second 

 and third joined toes, and the fifth are present and bear 

 nails, but are quite rudimentary. All the species of the 

 Perameles bear the weight of the body on the fourth and 

 fifth toes of the, hind feet, and have five toes on the fore 

 feet, the two inner ones being rudimentary and nailless. 



The skins of the Bandicoot are of little value either for 

 fur or leather purposes. 



The Dasyurida* Family includes both Carnivorous and 

 Insectivorous types, differing from the other Marsupials 

 in the character of their dentition and in having the 

 second and third toes of the hind feet perfectly free from 

 each other. The Dasyuridae is rich in Genera and Species, 

 ranging from mouse-like insect eaters to the Carnivorous 

 Spotted Cat of Australia (Dasyurus-maugoei) and the 

 Tasmanian Devil (Dasyurus-ursinus) resembling the Bad- 

 ger in the form of body and large head, while the tex- 

 ture of its deep black fur is more like that of the bear. 

 Some of the smaller species possess a small inner toe on 

 the hind foot which is wanting in the type variety. 



