MARSUPIALIA 



29 



Aepyprijmnus and Bettongia (Fig. 45), the latter without hallux, 

 in Australia, fossil in the Pleis- 

 tocene of New South Wales. 

 Hypsiprymnoclon Rams. With 

 two P. 



JVynyardia Baldwin Spencer. 

 Tertiary (Turritella Sandstone 

 of Table Cape). Having the 

 characteristics of Diprotoclontia 

 and Polyprotodontia combined in 

 the form of skull and limbs. 

 Systematic position uncertain 

 on account of want of informa- 

 tion regarding the dentition. 



Recent 



Fig. 45. 

 Bettongia grayi Gould. Skull. Kecent. 



Australia. 



3.1.3.1. 

 1.0.2.3. 



Subfamily 2. Thtlacoleoninae Owen. 

 Large extinct viarsupials with powerful pair of I^ and long, trenchant 



P^. The intermediate teeth omd M very much reduced. 



Thylacoleo Owen (Fig. 46). Skull approximating to that of lion in size, occiput 

 broad, snout very much foreshortened and narrowed. Zygomatic arch very 



robust and prominent. Skeleton 

 not completely known. Terminal 

 phalanges of the pes modified as 

 large, strong, bent claws. In the 

 Pleistocene of Australia, especially 

 in bone caverns. 



Subfamily 3. Phalangerinae. 

 Climbing and Flying Marsupials. 



,' ' "' ' Fore- and hind-limbs 

 1.0.2-1.4. 



pentadactyl ; the second and third digits 



of the latter are slender and fused 



together. 



Fig. 46. 



Thylacoleo carnifex Owen. Lateral aspect of skull, i/g. 

 Pleistocene of Queensland. (After Owen.) Tlie post- 

 orbital bar is wrongly shown as complete. 



Several of the genera living in Australia are also represented in the 

 Pleistocene. 



3.0-1.2-1.4. 



Subfamily 4. Macropodinae. Kangaroos. 



, „ _ T , . Upper I chisel-shaped, lower rodent-like and horizontal. P and 

 1.0.2-1.4. 



M with large transverse ridges. Hind-limbs very much elongated, fifth, second 



and third toes reduced and the two latter covered by a single fold of skin. Hallux' 



rudimentary. 



Besides the recent genus Macropus Shaw [Halmaturus Illiger), in Australia, 

 there are found in the Pleistocene of that continent a number of fossil forms 

 {Sthenurus, Palorchestes Owen, etc.) of large size. 



