Page:Natural History (1848).djvu/264

254 The animals of this Family vary in size from that of a wolf to that of a small mouse: the larger species are fierce and destructive, preying on the sheep and poultry of the settlers. They inhabit New South Wales and Van Diemen’s Land.

In this genus the teeth are thus arranged: inc. $8⁄6$; can. $1—1⁄1—1$; false mol. $3—3⁄3—3$; mol. $4—4⁄4—4$; = 46. The incisors in each jaw are disposed semicircularly, with a vacant space in the middle of the number&#59; the external ones are the largest&#59; they are much like those of a dog. The molars also closely resemble the "lacerators" in the true Carnivora. The feet are like those of a dog&#59; the toes are short, naked, and very rough beneath&#59; they are armed with short thick claws, slightly compressed. The thumb or inner toe is entirely wanting on the hind feet, even in the skeleton.

The only known species is the Zebra-wolf of the Australian settlers (Thylacinus cynocephalus, ) called also Native Tiger, Native Hyena, and Zebra-Opossum. It nearly equals a wolf in size, and is the largest carnivorous quadruped found wild in New Holland. The head is formed like that of a dog, with rather short, erect ears&#59; the tail is thick at the base, but tapers to the point&#59; it is about half as long as the body&#59; the eyes are large, full, and black&#59; the general colour of the fur is pale yellowish-brown, with numerous black bands across the back and haunches. Specimens occur which measure six feet in length, (including the tail, which is about two feet) and which stand about two feet high.