URSINE TREE* KANGAROO. 
187 
an incli in length, or rather less; the tail gradually tapers 
from the base to the apex, and is about two inches iu diameter 
(including the hair) at the former part, and three-quarters of 
an incli at the distal extremity. On the upper parts and 
sides of the body, as well as the limbs (excepting at the base 
internally), the fur is black and glossy, and very nearly uni¬ 
form to the skin, an indistinct brownish huo being only 
observable quite at the root of the hairs. The tail is black, 
but tinted with brownish at the root. The ears are densely 
clothed with very’ long hairs, which completely conceal them ; 
the hairs springing from the tip of the ear ore brown, hut the 
rest are black. The head in front of the ears, and the whole 
of the under parts of the body, are brown, but varying in 
intensity in parts, being darker around die eye and on the 
muzzle, and yellowish on the cheeks ; the belly is also 
yellowish, whilst the chest assumes a deeper hue. The muffle 
appears as if naked, but has, iu fact, very' minute hairs 
scattered throughout: die hair on the muzzle, above, is very- 
short. The fore legs are very stroug, and so aro the hands and 
the claws with which they are provided;—the claw of the 
middle linger being at least three-quarters of an inch in length. 
The hind feet are strong, but comparatively short: the largest 
toe has the uail an inch in length, strong, somewhat compressed 
and curved. The toes are less unequal in size than in die 
typical Kangaroos; the end of the claw of the outer toe 
terminates in a line with about the middle of the great central 
toe, and the nails of die double inner toe extend about -fa of 
an inch beyond the base of die central one. 
llie specimen from which the above description is taken is 
a female, and forms part of the British Museum collection ; 
its dimensions are as follows:— 
