718 ZOOLOGY OF THE MACLAY-COAST IN NEW GUINEA, 



entrance of the pouch, without distending the same. The nipples 

 of this 9 were of different length, some not longer than 1 mm., 2 

 about 10 mm. and one, sucked by a young one (1) 18 mm. (over 

 O, 7 in.) long. 



Up to the present time 4 species of Perameles have been found 

 in New Guinea and described as : — 



P. Doreyanus. Quoy and Gaimard. 



P. Moresbyensis. Ramsay. 



P. Broadbentii. Ramsay. 



P. Longxcauda. Peters and Doria. 



In the zoological part of the voyage of the Astrolabe (2), Quoy 

 and Gaimard give the description of Perameles Doreyanus and 

 the dental formula of the same, in which only 8 upper incisors 

 are indicated (3). Waterhouse referring to the statement of Quoy 

 and Gaimard, expresses the possibility that the two incisors have 

 been lost " whilst the animal was alive " (4). Peters and Doria, 

 who had the opportunity of examining numbers of P. Doreyanus, 

 mention that P. rufescens (from Kei Islands) has like P. 

 Doreyanus, 8 upper incisors (5.) 



I find to my regret that neither the Australian nor the Macleay 

 Museum in Sydney possess a specimen of P. Doreyanus, so that I 

 have had only the help of the description and illustrations (6) of 

 Quoy and Gaimard to decide the question, whether the B. 

 Garagassi is identical with P. Doreyanus or not. On the first 

 reflection the number of the upper incisors, the bristle-like hair 



(1) Although the mother was dead over 2 or 3 hours, the young one in the 

 pouch, continued to suck holding the nipples with one of the fore-limbs and 

 moving constantly the thi-ee other limbs. The young Brachymelis in the 

 pouch was about 30 mm. (about 12 in.) long (from the tip of the nose to the 

 base of the tail) and the eyes were still closed. When I tried to draw 

 away the fore-limbs from the nipple the little animal soon grasped the 

 same again. Sometimes catching hold of another nipple, introduced it in 

 the mouth and sucked two nipples at the same time. 



(2) Voyage de decouvertes do l'Astrolobe (1826-29). 



(3) Mammalia, Vol. I., p. 102. 



(4) " Possibly these teeth have existed in the skull, but have been lost 

 whilst the animal was alive, in which case the sockets would soon become 

 obliterated." Waterhouse. Mammalia, Vol. I., p. 386. 



(5) W. Peters e G. Doria Enumerazione dei Mammiferi, etc., etc., p. 11. 



(6) Voyage de decouverte de l'Astrolobe. Atlas, pi. 16. 



