_Dasyurus._[44]—Dentition: _i_ ⁴⁄₃, _c_ ¹⁄₁, _p_ ²⁄₂, _m_ ⁴⁄₄; total 42. Upper incisors nearly equal, and placed vertically; first slightly longer, narrower, and separated from the rest. Lower incisors sloping forwards and upwards. Canines large and sharply pointed. Premolars with compressed and sharp-pointed crowns, and slightly developed anterior and posterior accessory basal cusps. True molars with numerous sharp-pointed cusps. In the upper jaw the first three with crowns having a triangular oral surface, the fourth small, simple, narrow, and placed transversely. In the lower jaw the molars more compressed, with longer cusps; the fourth not notably smaller than the others. Form viverrine. Ears long and narrow, prominent, and obtusely pointed. Hallux rudimentary, or absent; its metatarsal bone always present. Tail long and well clothed with hair. Humerus without an entepicondylar foramen. Vertebræ: C 7, D 13, L 6, S 2, C 18-20. The Dasyures are small Civet-like animals with a gray or brown pellage profusely spotted with white; they are mostly inhabitants of the Australian continent and Tasmania, where in the economy of nature they take the place of the smaller predaceous Carnivora, the Cats, Civets, and Weasels of other parts of the world. They hide themselves in the daytime in holes among rocks or in hollow trees, but prowl about at night in search of the small living mammals and birds which constitute their prey. The species are not numerous, and include _D. maculatus_, about the size of a common Cat, inhabiting Tasmania and the southern part of Australia; _D. viverrinus_, Tasmania and Victoria; _D. geoffroyi_, nearly all Australia; _D. hallucatus_, North Australia; _D. albopunctatus_, New Guinea. Remains referred to _D. viverrinus_ occur in the Australian Pleistocene deposits.