192 OBSERVATIONS ON THE ANATOMY OF 
thick, and muscular as far as the ancles, or tarsal jointSj 
and of nearly twice the length of the fore legs. The femur 
is 2 J inches long; the tibia, 2| inches; and the foot, from 
the tarsal joint to the point of the longest claw, 2| inches. 
The hip-joint admits of httle flexion and extension, but of 
so great abduction, that the two thighs can be separated 
from each other to a straight line, which must allow the 
freest access of the young to the abdominal pouch placed 
between them. The hind feet have a very lengthened 
form, like those of the Kangaroo, and have Jive toes like 
the fore feet (not Jbur, as stated by Desmarest) but of a 
very different structure. The inner or first toe is only ru- 
dimentary, naked, about two lines long, without nail, and 
of an obtuse conical form. It is placed midway between 
the two extremities of the foot, on its under surface, and 
is opposed to the other toes. The second and third toes 
are small, short, and bound together under the skin like a 
single toe, as far as the roots of the claws, which are quite 
free and moveable. The fourth toe is the longest, and by 
much the largest on the hind foot. It extends eight hues 
beyond the united toes just mentioned, and half an inch 
beyond the outer or fifth toe, which is the second largest 
on the foot- The claws of the hind feet are shorter and 
thicker than those of the fore feet, and are nearly straight. 
The longest toe on the hind foot measures inch from 
the metatarsal bone to the point of the claw. The pelvis 
is very long and narrow, and is prolonged backwards to- 
wards the root of the tail, considerably beyond the head of 
the thigh-bones ; which gives a conical and somewhat an- 
gular form to the posterior part of the trunk. The tail is 
long, slender, conical, very flexible, and covered to its point 
with short, dark, straight hair, which is shortest and most 
scanty on the lower surface. Beneath the hair the epider- 
mis of the tail is rough, and covered with regular trans- 
