( 306 ) 



It bus been stated by some iuithois that Z. h. 'iUosisdma (Dubois) is only 

 the youug of Z. hnii/ni hruijni, but my specimens show that the very old 

 eillosissima are more hairy and have the characters pointed ont by Dubois more 

 exaggerated, both than iu his type and in my yonng (?) examples. 



It may interest students to know that Professor Giglioli, when on board 

 the Italian frigate " Magenta," bought in Java a skin of Zaff/osms hruijni bruijni, 

 which he gave to the Turin Museum. Although he was told it came from New 

 Guinea, this was not believed, and the stufl'ed specimen stood for many years 

 labelled as Echidna sefosu, and was only recognised years after the type skull 

 was described by Peters and Doria. 



Echidna hystrix miiltiaculeata subspec. nov. 



Differs from E. h. hijstrix at first sight by its nuuli j)aler colour and much more 

 numerous spines. The spines in E. h. Inj»trix are somewhat separated, very thick, 

 tapering quite suddenly to a point, and are whitish yellow, the anterior fourth 

 being deep black. These spines are thickly intersjiersed with brownish black 

 hairs, while the hair on the head, legs and underside is deep brown. The spines 

 in my new E. h. multidculeata, on the other hand, are exceedingly numerous, very 

 long and thin, pale bnff, tipped with horn-colour, and tapering gradually to a 

 long point. They are interspersed with thin yellowish brown hairs, and the 

 hairs on the head, legs and underside arc pale clay-brown. 



Habitat : Extreme south of South Australia. 



I have seen and handled more than thirty of this form, all alike, and the 

 two consignments which reached England contained over a hundred specimens. 



Dr. Ernst Hartert difi'ers from me somewhat as to the specimens which I 

 consider to be the young (A Zaqlossns hrinjni hruijni. These individuals are smaller, 

 and have the head dark like the back. Dr. Hartert is inclined to think that 

 the differences of these specimens might as likely be those of sex as of youth ; 

 and there is certainly some doubt as to the i|uestion of age, as we have no means 

 of comparing the skulls. In my original description of Zaylossus tiigroarnleata 

 (under the name of ProHrhidna nigroaculeata) I quoted the names of Procchidna 

 noraeguineac and Proiickidna leuco(r/)hala. These names have never been 

 published, and were quoted from a dealer's letter without confirmation. 



