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Show 1880.] MR. E. R. ALSTON ON ANTECHINOMYS. 459 The intestine is perfectly simple and is 6 80 inches long, or little more than twice the length of the animal; I find a similar proportion in Podabrus macrourus ; while in Phascologale penicillata the intestine is less than twice, and in Antechinus swainsoni more than three times the animal's length. Possibly the various species may differ in this respect. Fig. 4. Liver of Antechinomys. The liver (fig. 4) resembles that of its allies, the right lateral lobe being unfissured, while the left is deeply cleft. A gall-bladder is present and the caudate lobe is well developed. CONCLUSIONS. Before considering the results of the above comparisons, it will be well to glance at the literary history of the present group. In 1827 Temminck established the genus Phascogale1 (more correctly written Phascologale), the type being the Didelphys penicillatus of Shaw. Antechinus was founded by MacLeay on a drawing and incorrect description of an animal which he at first believed to be an Insectivore2; but when he obtained a skeleton, he was doubtful of its distinction from Phascologale 3. It was only adopted by Mr. Waterhouse as a " section" of the latter genus, including the species which have the tail covered throughout with short hair4; but it has been generally accepted, and further characters have been pointed by Mr. Krefft5. Podabrus appears to have been first used by Mr. Gould for the slender-footed Phascologale crassicaudatus, but without being characterized6. Mr. Waterhouse did not recognize it even as a " section; " and Mr. Krefft only accepts it with the proviso that he " cannot ascertain the true characters beyond what Mr. Waterhouse tells us, that it comprises the Phascogalce with slender feet." He adds, however, some characters of his own, one being " Canines small, seldom exceeding the largest premolar in size; " but this is a point in which there is considerable variation in the species of both Antechinus and Podabrus. At the same time, as already stated, Mr. Krefft proposed the name Antechinomys for the Phascologale lanigera of 1 Mon. de Mamm. i. p. 56. 2 Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. viii. (1842) p. 242. 3 Tom. cit. p. 338. 4 Nat. Hist. Mamm. i. p. 410. 6 P. Z. S. 1866, p. 432. 6 Mamm. Austr. i. pl. xlvii. (1845). |
