THE TRUE BANDICOOTS. 137 
[. STRIPED BANDICOOT. PERAMELES BOUGAINVILLII, 
Perameles bougainvillit, Quoy and Gaimard, Voyage Uranie, 
Zool., p. 56 (1824) ; Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., 
Pp. 246 (1888), 
Perameles myosurus, Wagner, Archiy. fur. Nat., vol. vii., pir, 
P- 293 (1841). 
Perameles arenaria, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1844, Dp: 104, 
Characters,—Size smal] ; form light and delicate ; fur coarse, 
but not spinose ; muzzle long and slender ; ears long, narrow, 
and pointed, reaching, when laid forward, beyond the eyes, 
their backs greyish flesh-colour, slightly darker on the anterior 
portion of the terminal half. General colour olive-grey ; 
under-parts white; sides of Tump with ill-defined dark and 
light transverse Stripes. Soles of hind feet hairy, black pos- 
teriorly, naked, granulated, and flesh-coloured in front, with 
well-marked round pads at the bases of the fourth and fifth 
toes. Tail moderate, brown above, white beneath. Six teats: 
Length of head and body about 9 inches ; of tail 4) inches, 
Distribution. West Australia. 
Variety—In South-Eastern and Southern Australia the 
typical form of the species is replaced by a variety (the 
Perameles fasciata of Gray) distinguished by the more marked 
contrast between the dark and light patches on the back of the 
ears, and the well-defined and conspicuous dark and light 
Striping of the rump. 
The present, together with the two following species, belongs 
to an exclusively Australian group, in all of which the posterior- 
half of the sole of the hind foot is hairy, the ear is long, and 
when laid forward reaches at least to the eye, and has a pointed 
tip, while there are eight teats, 
Habits—In common with its nearest allies, this species 
