DOG-HEADED THYLACINUS. 
457 
Its legs, however, are proportionately shorter than in the 
Wolf, and, judging from the structure of its foot, its body 
must be brought much nearer to the ground, in walking, than 
that of the Wolf, it being what may be termed a semi-planti¬ 
grade animal. The muzzle is more elongated and narrower 
than in other Dasyuridce. The ears are rather short, very 
broad at the base, and somewhat pointed at the opposite 
extremity ; they are well clothed with hairs, both internally 
and externally; on the outer side the hairs are coloured like 
those on the upper part of the head, excepting towards the 
tip of the ear, where they are paler ; on the inner side the 
hairs are of a brownish white hue, slightly inclining to yellow; 
near the anterior angle they are very long. The eyes, accord¬ 
ing to Mr. Harris, are large and full, of a black colour, and 
provided with a nyctitant membrane. Long black bristles 
spring from the upper lip ; a few are also observed on the 
cheeks, and above the eye. The fur of the animal is short, 
somewhat closely applied to the skin, though of a slightly 
woolly texture, owing to each of the hairs of which it is 
however, restricts his quotation to those parts only, of M. Temminck's 
account, iu which certain resemblances existing between the teeth of the 
Thylacinus and those of some of the true Carnivora are pointed out. Certain 
teeth in the animal under consideration, it is true, will bear a close comparison 
with certain teeth found in Cats and Dogs, but striking differences are observa¬ 
ble when the whole series of the teeth of the carnivorous marsupial quadruped 
is compared with that of any mammal belonging to the true Carnivora. Th e 
increase in the number of the incisors, and true molars, in the Thylacinus, 
becomes important when it is found that these teeth are implanted in a skull 
and lower jaw which in every respect are conformable to the marsupial type of 
structure, and that in that type only is this increase found. The passage 
quoted from M. Temminck, however, will not bear the construction winch 
Mr. Swainson has put upon it; M. Temminck compares the true molars of 
the Thylacinus with the principal false molar (“ carnassier”) of the Cats and 
Dogs. Now, the true molars of the last mentioned animals differ much in 
their structure from the corresponding teeth in the pouched Thylacinus ; and 
hence the arguments of Mr. Swainson, founded upon a presumed resemblance 
in the dentition of the animals mentioned, are not valid. 
