THE MYRMECOBIUS. 
391 
The little animals which are grouped together under the title of Pouched Mice are 
tolerably numerous, the genus Antechinus comprising about twelve or thirteen species. 
They are spread rather widely over New South Wales and Southern Australia, and as 
hey are prolific creatures, they are among the most common of the Australian quadrupeds. 
They are all of inconsiderable size, the greater number hardly exceeding the ordinary mouse 
in dimensions, though one or two species nearly equal a small rat in size. 
Arboreal in their habits, they are among the most active of tree-loving quadrupeds, run- 
ning up and down a perpendicular trunk with perfect ease, and leaping from one branch to 
another with singular activity of limb and certainty of aim. They can even cling to the under 
side of a horizontal branch, and are constantly seen running round the branches and peering 
into any little crevice, precisely after the manner of the ordinary titmice among the birds. 
They can descend a branch with their heads downward, instead of lowering themselves tail 
foremost, as is generally the custom among tree-climbing quadrupeds, and traverse the branches 
with admirable rapidity and liveliness. 
The Yellow-eooted Pouched Mouse (. Antechinus Jlampes ) is a very pretty little creat- 
ure, its fur being richly tinted with various pleasing hues. 
The face, the upper part of the head, and the shoulders are dark gray, diversified with 
yellow hairs, and the sides of the body are warmed with a wash of bright chestnut. The 
under parts of the body, the chin, and the throat are uniform white, and the tail is black. 
There is often a slight tufting of hair on the extremity of the tail. 
The total length of the animal is about eight inches, the head and body being rather more 
than four inches and a half in length, and the tail a little more than three inches. 
The Mykmecobius ( Myrmecobius fasciatus ) is remarkable for several parts of its struct- 
ure, and more especially so for the extraordinary number of its' teeth, and the manner in which 
they are placed in the jaw. Altogether, there are no less than fifty-two teeth in the jaws of 
an adult and perfect specimen of the Myrmecobius, outnumbering the teeth of every other 
animal, with the exception of one or two cetacea and the armadillo. There is no pouch in this 
animal, but the tender young are defended from danger by the long hairs which clothe the 
under portions of the body. 
It is a beautiful little animal, the fur being of agreeable tints and diversified by several 
bold stripes across the back. The general color of the fur is a bright fawn on the shoulders, 
which deepens into blackish-brown from the shoulders to the tail, the fur of the hinder por- 
tions being nearly black. Across the back are drawn six or seven white bands, broad on the 
back and tapering off towards their extremities. The under parts of the body are of a yellow- 
ish-white. The tail is thickly covered with long, bushy hair, and has a grizzled aspect, owing 
to the manner in which the black and white hairs of which it is composed are mingled together. 
Some hairs are annulated with white, red-rust, and black, so that the tints are rather variable, 
and never precisely the same in two individuals. 
The length of the body is about ten inches, and the tail measures about seven inches, so 
that the dimensions of the animal are similar to those of the common water vole of Europe. 
It is an active animal, and when running, its movements are very similar to those of the 
common squirrel. When hurried, it proceeds by a series of small jumps, the tail being ele- 
vated over its back after the usual custom of squirrels, and at short intervals it pauses, sits 
upright, and casts an anxious look in all directions before it again takes to flight. 
Although not a particularly swift animal, it is not an easy one to capture, as it imme- 
diately makes for some place of refuge, under a hollow tree or a cleft in rocky ground, and 
when it has fairly placed itself beyond the reach of its pursuers, it bids defiance to their efforts 
to drive it from its haven of safety. Aot even smoke — the usual resort of a hunter when his 
prey has gone to £ ‘ earth ’ ? and refuses to come out again — has the least effect on the Myrme- 
cobius, which is either possessed of sufficient smoke-resisting powers to endure the stifling 
vapor with impunity, or of sufficient courage to yield its life in the recesses of its haven, rather 
than deliver itself into the hands of its enemies. 
The food of the Myrmecobius is supposed chiefly to consist of ants and similar diet, as it is 
