256 NATURAL SCIENCE. April, 



pen and camera. Certainly this narrative, brief though it is, will take 

 rank among the classics of this form of literature. 



Zoology. 



The volume which contains the zoological results of the Expedi- 

 tion contains 431 pages and is illustrated by 29 plates. It is the 

 work of several authors. Professor Spencer, besides editing the 

 whole, treats of the Mammalia (excluding Muridse), Amphibia, 

 Crustacea, and contributes Appendices on the stridulating organ of 

 Phlogius cvassipes and on an earthworm [Acanthodrilus eremicus). Mr. 

 North describes the Birds ; Messrs. Lucas and Frost, the Reptiles ; 

 Mr. Zietz, the Fishes ; Prof. Ralph Tate and Mr. Hedley, the 

 Mollusca ; Mr. Lower, the Lepidoptera ; the Rev. T. Blackburn, the 

 Coleoptera (except the Carabidae for which Mr. T. G. Sloane is 

 responsible); Mr. H. R. Hogg, the Araneidse ; Mr. J. G. O. Tepper, 

 the Orthoptera ; Mr. W. W. Froggatt, the Honey-ants ; and Mr, 

 E. R. Waite, the Muridae. 



Nineteen species of Mammalia are known from Central Australia, 

 and of these five are peculiar to it. The following are new to science : — 

 Phascologale macdonnellensis, Sminthopsis larapinta, S. psavimophilus, and 

 Dasyuroides hyrnei. Notorydes typhlops is probably the sole representative 

 of the only family confined to this region. Professor Spencer has now 

 had over forty specimens in his possession, and he and Professor 

 Stirling are preparing an account of the teeth, fur, and reproductive 

 organs. It is interesting to note that a rudimentary pouch may be 

 present in the male and that the reproductive organs, which have 

 been examined by transverse sections, show the animal to be a modi- 

 fied marsupial and in no sense a link between this group and the 

 monotremes. As regards the jumping forms [Hapalotis and Ante- 

 chinomys) it is remarked that "it is really somewhat difficult to see 

 what is exactly the advantage gained by such small forms of animals 

 in this saltatory mode of progression. . . . Both are far too small to 

 spring over the grass tussocks, and perhaps the most noticeable point 

 in connection with this matter is that the true mouse, which lives in 

 great numbers in the same part and has not taken on this saltatory 

 method, thrives just as well. . . . Possibly the real advantage in the 

 saltatory method of progression amongst these small forms lies in the 

 greater difficulty of pouncing down upon an animal travelling by leaps 

 and bounds rather than in any advantage gained in the way of speed." 

 It is curious that two animals so differently organised as Hapalotis 

 and AnUchinomys have the same habit and live side by side, the former 

 very common, the latter extremely scarce. Mr. Edgar R. Waite 

 discusses the Muridae in a separate chapter. 



The Birds were collected with great care by Mr. Keartland. 

 Seventy-eight species are included in the collection, five of which are 

 described as new, whilst the Princess of Wales Parrakeet [Polytclis 

 alexandva) is made the type of a new genus, Spathoptcnis, on account 



