UROMYS. 121 



Genus VI. UROMYS, Peters (1867). 



Difters from Mus in having the scales of the tail not over- 

 lapping, but set edge to edge, so as to form a sort of mosaic work. 



Distribution. From Eastern Australia to the Aru Islands. 



1. UROMYS MACROPUS, Gray, sp. (1866). 



Giant Eat. 



Ears moderate ; tail equal to or a little shorter than the head 

 and body ; fur moderately soft, the long hairs rather bristly. 

 General color above grayish-brown tinged with reddish, with 

 coarse black-tipped hairs intermixed ; below white ; whiskers 

 very long, stiff, and black ; feet white ; tail black on the basal, 

 white or pale yellow on the apical half. 



Dimensions. Head and body up to fourteen and a half inches; 

 tail to about the same length. 



Habitat. North-Eastern Australia. 



Reference. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1866, p. 221, and 1867, 

 p. 597; Krefft, Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 316, figs. 1-7 (skull); 

 Peters, Mon. Ac. Berl. 1867, p. 344 ( 'animal, skull, and feet 

 figured). 



2. UROMYS CERVINIPES, Gould, sp. (1852). 



Buff-footed Rat. 



Fur short, soft, and adpressed, without lengthened hairs. 

 General color of adult : above sandy-brown, below mottled buffy- 

 white and gray ; feet and tarsi fawn color ; tail purplish-flesh 

 color. Young bluish-gray above, grayish-white below. 



Dimensions. Head and body about six inches ; tail about 

 five and a half inches. 



Habitat. Eastern Australia. 



Reference. Gould, Mamm. Austr. iii. pi. xiv. 



In 1867 Gray (Proc. Zool. Soc. p. 599) described, under the 

 name of Eehiothrix leucurus (lege Echinothrix leucura) a remark- 

 able Rat, having an extremely elongated muzzle, supposing it to 

 have come from North Australia ; it is now believed to be 

 confined to the Celebes, whence only has it since been recorded. 



Numerous fossil Murine remains have been obtained in various 

 parts of Australia, chiefly in the Wellington Caves, but no 

 systematic attempt has been made as yet to work these out. 



