ORDER MARSUPIALIA: MARSUPIALS 57 



of pale slate, bordered by fawn; head and body, 250 mm.; tail, 

 155 mm.; ear, 72 mm. (Finlayson, 1932, pp. 168-169). 



The type of leucura, from an unknown Australian locality, was 

 described in 1887. A second specimen was taken at Mungerani, 

 east of Lake Eyre, in 1924. The 12 specimens on which the name 

 miselius was founded were taken in 1931 near Cooncherie on the 

 lower Diamantina River, in northeastern South Australia, at about 

 latitude 26 32'. In this area the animal was plentiful (Finlayson, 

 1935c ; p. 227). It appears to be known, however, from a total of 

 only 14 specimens. 



A Wonkonguroo boy, who obtained most of the specimens near 

 Cooncherie, was adept at locating the burrows in sand hills, 

 although the entrances were blocked with loose sand. The animal 

 is evidently used as food by the natives. (Finlayson, 1935c, p. 227.) 



"It now appears . . . that the ... composite species [M. I. 

 leucura and M. I. minor] has a wide central distribution in which 

 it may survive indefinitely, though the advent of the fox and 

 rabbit are considered by Professor Wood Jones to have already 

 exercised a marked influence on sub-desert populations, in asso- 

 ciation with prolonged dry seasons" (E. Le G. Troughton, in litt., 

 April 16, 1937) . 



Lesser Bilby; Lesser Rabbit-bandicoot 



MACROTIS LEUCURA MINOR (Spencer) 



Peragale minor Spencer, Proc. Royal Soc. Victoria, n. s., vol. 9, p. 6, pi. 2, 

 figs. 1-4, 1897. ("Sand-hills about forty miles to the north-east of 

 Charlotte Waters," Central Australia.) 



This animal seems to be definitely known only from a small 

 series taken at the type locality in Central Australia more than 

 45 years ago. 



Fur long and silky; general color fawn-gray; chin and inner 

 side of forelimbs white; rest of limbs and under parts gray; feet 

 white above; basal two-thirds of tail dark above; final third 

 white, crested; sides and ventral surface of tail white. Head and 

 body, 200-270 mm.; tail, 118-160 mm.; ear, 68-92 mm. (Spencer, 

 1897, pp. 6-7.) 



"The 'Urpila' (P. minor) during the winter months lies within a 

 foot or so of the entrance of his [burrow]. . . . This peculiarity 

 is taken advantage of by the natives who jump on the surface of 

 the ground behind the 'Urpila' breaking it in and so cutting off 

 his retreat to the inner chamber. He is thus compelled to rush 

 out through the entrance where a native is waiting to give him 

 his quietus." (Byrne, in Spencer, 1897, p. 9.) 



