56 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



The Barcoo Bilby has been recorded in northeastern South 

 Australia, from Miller's Creek and Coward Springs, southwest of 

 Lake Eyre, to the Goyder's Lagoon area toward the northeastern 

 corner of the state. It also seems to range northward to the region 

 about Charlotte Waters, Central Australia. (Jones, 1923a, p. 344; 

 Finlayson, 1935c, p. 233.) 



Jones writes (1924, p. 160) : "This Bilby is a northern form 

 living in the region of the great drainage system of Lake Eyre. It 

 is probable that it is still fairly abundant in those portions of this 

 legion where foxes have not yet become plentiful, and where it 

 can still compete with rabbits for nesting burrows." 



On this subject Troughton says (1932, p. 221) : "My own 

 experience when collecting in the very dry country about Farina 

 [south of Lake Eyre], South Australia, in 1919, was that foxes 

 were very numerous and already tending towards a small lean 

 desert type capable of entering the larger rabbit burrows without 

 difficulty, and doubtless those of the Bilbies as well." 



Six specimens obtained in the Goyder's Lagoon area about 1932 

 were, according to Finlayson (1935c, p. 233), the first ones to be 

 examined in the flesh since the type specimen was taken in 1903. 



Certain notes on "Peragale lagotis" from the Charlotte Waters 

 region of Central Australia, published by Spencer (1896, p. 17, and 

 1897, p. 9) before sagitta was recognized, actually refer, it seems, 

 to the latter form (c/. Troughton, 1932, p. 233). "This is not 

 uncommon, judging by the number of tails used by the natives 

 as ornaments. They tie the white terminal tufts together in bundles 

 of from twelve to twenty." The animal occupies the inner end 

 of its burrow, and the natives secure it by digging it out. 



White-tailed Bilby; White-tailed Rabbit-bandicoot 



MACROTIS LEUCURA LEUCURA (Thomas) 



Peragale leucura Thomas, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, vol. 19, p. 397, 1887. 



("Exact locality . . . not . . . recorded.") 

 SYNONYM: Thalacomys minor miselius Finlayson (1932). 

 FIGS.: Thomas, 1888, pi. 2; Finlayson, 1935, pi. opp. p. 63. 



According to Finlayson (1935c, p. 232), the probability of the 

 identity of M. I. leucura and T. m. miselius is very great, and the 

 latter name is here considered, at least provisionally, as a synonym. 



Proportions and fur of leucura as in M. lagotis; general color 

 pale yellowish fawn; under parts pure white or yellowish white; 

 limbs pure white; tail slender, wholly white-haired, with a terminal 

 dorsal crest. Measurements of the very young type: head and 

 body, 142 mm.; tail, 116 mm. (Thomas, 1887, pp. 397-398.) In 

 miselius the central two-fifths of the tail has a median dorsal line 



