134 PHiLA-NGEEIDJS. 



however, each with a sharp and diBtinot claw ; junction of these toes 

 unusually complete, their terminal pads even united into one. 

 Tail cylindrical, longer than the head and body, slightly furry all 

 round its base, and naked at its extreme tip below, otherwise 

 uniformly finely hairy; its colour brown above, white or pale 

 yeUow on the sides and below. 



Shull as described above. 



Teeth. Upper incisors minute, unieuspid, placed close to the 

 anterior end of the premaxiUsB. Canines fairly well developed, 

 straight, not tapering. About 2 millim. behind these canines there 

 are a pair of distinct unicuspid teeth, provisionally homologized 

 with pm.", and again, about 1| or 2 millim. further back, occur 

 either one, two, or three more, stiU more minute and rudimentary 

 teeth, presumably molars. Lower incisors (i.') about 3 millim. in 

 length, sharp-edged upwards, and pointed terminally; projecting 

 quite horizontally from the front of the mandible. No other lower 

 teeth present, except one, two, or three minute rudimentary molars 

 placed at about 7 millim. from the base of the incisors. 



I 



Dimensions. 



c?. ?. 



a (in spirit), g (in spirit). 

 Barely adult. Adult, 

 millim. millim. 



Head and body 68 80 



TaU 88 100 



Lower leg 19-5 21-6 



Hind foot 14-0 15-5 



Muzzle to eye 12-6 14-0 



Ear 9-0 9-3 



SkuU, see p. 148. 



Hah. Western Australia. 



Type in the Paris Museum. 



This most interesting little species is, perhaps, in its wide 

 distinction from all its allies, alone equalled among Marsupials by 

 Myrmecohius fasciatws, also a native of Western AustraUa, and also, 

 curiously enough, distinguished by its small teeth and extensile 

 tongue. In the case of that animal, however, early and primitive 

 characters seem to have been retained almost unchanged, while the 

 Tarsipes, even if retaining some ancient characteristics, has evidently 

 widely diverged from the, ancestors common to it and the other 

 Phalangeridce. This divergbnce has been chiefly brought about by 

 the specialization of its gustatory and alimentary organs, and by 

 the degradation of its teeth, in correlation with its nectar-sucking 

 and also more or less insectivorous habits. Of these habits the two 

 following extracts give some idea. 



Mrs. Grey, the wife of Capt. (afterwards Sir George) Grey, 

 records * : — " We had two of them for some time in our possession ; 



* Gray, Ann. & Mag. N. H. xi. p. 77 1843), 



