256 MARSUPIALIA. 



with a broad nail, somewhat like that of the monkey or opossum : what 

 answer to the fore- and middle-toes are united in one common covering, 

 appearing like one toe with two nails : this is somewhat similar to the 

 kangaroo : the two other toes are as usual. These four nails are sharp, 

 like those on the fore-foot. This form of the hind- foot is well calculated 

 for holding while the animal is moving its body or fore-feet to other 

 parts ; a property belonging, probably, to all animals which move from 

 the hind parts, such as the monkey, mocock, mongoose, opossum, parrot, 

 leech, &c. 



Its hair is very thick and long, making a very fine fur, especially on 

 the back : it is of a dark brown grey on the upper part ; a light white 

 grey on the lower sides of the wing, and white on the under surface 

 from the neck to near the anus. 



The oesophagus at the lower part of the thorax passes in the dupli- 

 cature of the posterior mediastinum, and is at some distance from the 

 back, or aorta. The stomach is pretty globular, but its great end is 

 bent up upon the oesophagus and adheres to it, somewhat, I think, like 

 the rat. The duodenum passes down the right side for a considerable 

 way, attached to the ascending colon for some length by a thin mem- 

 brane, then makes a quick turn up behind, and on itself, which is 

 attached to the back by a thin membrane : it then crosses the spine 

 behind the root of the mesentery, and commences jejunum. The small 

 intestines gradually convolute towards the right, and down ; and the 

 ileum passes into the colon on the right side. The CEecum is a large 

 gut about 4 inches long, having a mesocaBCum acting like a fraenum and 

 making it a little convoluted. The colon passes up the right side as 

 high as the liver and stomach ; then crosses the body before the me- 

 sentery, attached to it by a pretty broad mesocolon ; then passes down 

 in a pretty straight line to the anus : the rectum is small near the 

 verge, having a pretty broad mesorectum. There are two small bags at 

 the sides of the anus, containing a white mucus, the ducts of which 

 enter within the verge of the anus. The fasces are a little globulated 

 like the rat's, but are not so distinct. 



These contents of the abdomen are somewhat similar to those in the 

 rat. The liver is divided into four lobes besides the lobulus Spigelii ; 

 three of which are very much of the same size, the right being very 

 small. The second from the left has two deep fissures in it, one for the 

 umbilical vein, and the other for the gall-bladder : the third from the 

 left has also a pretty deep fissure in it. The lobulus Spigelii is small. 



The epiploon is attached forwards to the stomach as usual, to the 

 pylorus, and the beginning of duodenum on the right, to the transverse 

 turn of the colon behind, and on the left to the eras of the diaphragm. 



