238 NEW-GUINEA MAMMALS, 
forming a complete lower jaw of this remarkable species. 
Therefore we may be sure that this beautiful large rat too 
lives in the region explored by the members of our expedition. 
This large collection of lower jaws ought to have a signi- 
fication, and if it may be allowed to make a hypothesis, 
then I suggest that the papoeas use these lower jaws, 
especially the incisors, as implements, perhaps like the 
Siriono-Indians do, as described in Petermann’s Mitteilungen, 
1911, p. 16: »die Siriono-Indianer in Ost-Bolivien haben 
»>tiberall eigentiimlich geschäftete Nagetierzähne, die sie als 
»Messer anwenden”, and illustrated by Abbildung 3 on 
Tafel 6. On one of the labels from the Pesegem-tribe 
indeed has been remarked: »different lower jaws used for 
fashioning arrows, collected in the kampong.” 
Mallomys Rothschildii O. Thomas. 
Although there are in the collection made by the Lorentz- 
expedition neither skins nor skulls belonging to Mallomys 
Leothschildii, we may be convinced that this animal is living 
in rather large quantities in the country round Alkmaar 
and Pesegem, as I found in the lower-jaw-collection (see 
Anisomys imitator) 13 right and left halves of lower jaws, 
belonging at least to 7 individuals! The size of the jaws, 
combined with the typical structure of the molars, leaves 
no doubt as to the correctness of the identification. They 
have been procured in January 1910. 
The type-specimen of this large rat is an adult male in 
the Tring Museum; its skull is in the British Museum; it 
has been captured between Mount Musgrave and Scratchly, 
British New-Guinea. In the Leyden Museum there are 
three specimens, collected at the Rawlinson-Mountains, 
Huongulf, German New-Guinea, so that it may be stated 
that this species, as so many other New-Guinea-species, has 
a very large area of distribution. 
Notes from the Leyden Museum, Vol. XX XIII. 
