39 



March 13, 1S32. 



Richard Owen, Esq., in the Cliair. 



Mr. Cray dcscribed three new animals, brouglit from New Hol-= 

 Jaiul by Mr. Cunningham. Of thesc, one was a Q,uad?-uped, forming 

 a nevv genus of the Order Rodcntia ; the t\vo others Reptiles of the 

 faiDily of Lizards. The guadrujjed was characterized as follovvs : 



PSEUDOMYS. 



Dentes primovęs -I, superiores antice rotundati laeves, inferiores 

 subulati : inolares ^, 4 radicati ; superiores oblongi, primuš major 

 elongatus extūs uni-plicatus ; inferiorum primuš compressiusculus 

 seciindo duplo longior, postremus parvus oblongus extijs ph'catus. 



Caput magnum. Aures majusculae nudiusculee. AHus sub- 

 aequales, digitis 5, 5, longis liberis compressis, unguibus parvis cur- 

 vatis. Cauda filif'ormis subannulata pih's brevibus setosis vestita. 



The general appearance of this animal agrees with that of the 

 Water-Rats ; but the teeth are simple, and approach in character, 

 as they correspond in number vvith, those of the true Rats. They 

 differ, howcver, in the adult animal (the onlj' statė in which Mr. 

 Gray had an opportunity of observing theni,) in the front grinders 

 of tlie lower jaw being much more compressed and elongated ; and 

 in the front grinder of the upper jaw and the hinder one of the lovver 

 having each a fold on the outer edge, and a corresponding ridge 

 across the outer surface of the crown. The skuU appears, judging 

 from it>! remains, which vvere exhibited to the Committee, to bear 

 a close resemblance in shape to that of the Rat. On the fore feet 

 the thumb is short, almost rudimentary, and furnished with a claw; 

 the second and third toes are nearly equa], and longer than the first 

 and fourth, of \vhich the latter is rather the shortest. On the hind 

 feet the thumb is short and slender, the second, tliird, and fourth 

 toes are nearly equal, and the fifth is shorter, and placcd higher. 

 The fol]o\ving is the specific character of the animal : 



PsEUDOMYS AusTRALis. Pseud. Jugrescenti-brun/ieus cineras- 

 cente intcrsthictus, vifra cinereo-rufescens ; colio pectoreque ci- 

 nerasceniilms. 



Hab. in Nova Hollandia Orientali extratropica. 



Thefur is soft, close, thick, blackish brown,and slightJy grizzled 

 at the tips of the hairs; beneath, it is of a reddish ash ; and on the 

 throat and breast grayish ash. The whiskers are slender, vveak, and 

 reach beyond the ears. 7"he head and body mcasure 5i inchesj 

 the tail 3 v ; the fore foot 5^ lines ; and the hind foot 1 inch. 



Mr. Cunningham statės that the animal inhabits holes in svvarapy 

 sandy grounds on the south-west or Iower side of Liverpool Plains 

 in New Holland. 



