DASYURUS ALBOPUNCTATUS 5i 



NOTE IX. 

 ON DASYURUS ALBOPUNCTATUS. 



BY 



H. SCHLEGEL. 



The recent discoveries in New-Guinea have shown, 

 that this large island produces several forms of Mammalia, 

 hitherto considered as exclusive Australian; but we did not 

 expect even the genus Dasyurus to he represented in 

 New-Guinea. 



The species inhabiting this country appears to be new 

 to science, and is designed by me under the above-named 

 epithet in consequence of the numerous white spots of its 

 dark fur. 



The genus Dasyurus can be naturally subdivided into 

 three minor groups. 



The first of these comprises the true Dasyuri, charac- 

 terized by their hindfeet presenting a rudimentary thumb 

 in the form of a nailless stump. Add to this , that their 

 tail , although well covered with hair , is not bushy , and that 

 this member is about equal in lenght to the rest of the body. 

 The size of these animals varies, after the species, from 

 that of a strong Martin to that of a Pole-cat. — This 

 group comprises four of the six known species of the ge- 

 nus , viz. Dasyurus maculatus or macrourus from South- 

 East- Australia ; Dasyurus geoffroyi from Western Australia; 

 Das. hallucatus from Port Essington, a species which I 

 V.ave not been able to study in nature, and which is said 



Notes from, tlie Leyden IVTuseum, Vol. H. 



