74 



ON THE TASMANIAN MURIUM 

 By 



Clive Lord, F.L.S. 

 (Director of the Tasmanian Museum). 



AND 



H. H. Scott 



(Curator of the l^aunceston Museum). 



(Read 13th November, 1922.) 



In carrying out investigations concerning the Tasmanian 

 Muridse certain information has been gathered which 

 appears worthy of placing on record. 



Since Higgins and Petterd dealt with certain Tasmanian 

 forms in 1882 and 1883 very little attention has been paid 

 to the Tasmanian Rodentia. Unfortunately, Higgins and 

 Petterd relied on mere external variations on which to found 

 their species, and many will doubtless merge into synonymy. 

 Further, their type specimens were not preserved. 



In the present instance, therefore, we desire to give a 

 list of the Tasmanian Miirid.v as far as our investigations 

 have shown them, and at the same time to draw attention 

 to the very wide distribution of the introduced liattuH 

 rattuH in Tasmania. This common form is not only found 

 in the cities and settled areas, but also finds its way far 

 into the bush. Here it takes on new habits, which have the 

 effect of considerably altering the species, as far as external 

 variations go, from the typical form, and care must be 

 taken in regard to identification. 



Sub-Order SIMl'LICIDKNTATA. 



(ienus H ifdronys. 



This genus is easily recognised on account of the moiar.'i 

 being reduced to two pairs, which is the smallest number 

 among the rodents. The skull lacks the projecting zygomatic 

 plate. The toes are partially webbed. 



