Xvti'S on rii;i>cogale and C'litelocoicu?, 91 



IX. — Xotes on Phascogale and Chaitocercus. 

 By Oldfield Thomas. 



(Published by permission of tlie Trustees of the British Museum.) 



Is a small collection of mammals from Mount Goliath, 

 Dutch New Guinea, obtained by Mr. A. S. Meek, there occur 

 three specimens of a large and very handsome Phascogale^ 

 apparently quite unlike anything previously known. But 

 among the species of this genus recently described by Dr. 

 Jentiiik there is a certain Fh. lorentzi, nearly wholly black, 

 and bearing in mind the frequency with which Phascogales 

 are melanoid, I have made a careful examination of its 

 characters — assisted by further notes kindly su})plied me by 

 Dr. Jentink — and now conclude that Mr. Meek's specimens 

 belong to that species. 



The following are the external characteristics of the non- 

 melanoid specimens, which are all males, Dr. Jentink's 

 example being a female : — 



Size largest of the genus. Fur very long ; the general 

 mass of the dorsal hairs 12-13 mm. in length, the numerous 

 longer isolated hairs attaining 21 mm. General colour above 

 deep rich rufous, profusely speckled with whitish, the whole 

 resembling the speckled colour of the back of Ph. apicalis, 

 but far richer and deeper ; underfur blackish at base, rich 

 rufous terminally, long hairs with white subterminal bands 

 and black tip?. Sides more greyish, though still of the same 

 freckled character. Under surface dull ochraceous buff or 

 clay-colour, the hairs slaty at base. Head rufous brown, not 

 freckled. Ears of medium length, their outer side whitish, 

 inner side greyish brown. Forearms dull ferruginous ; hands 

 brown, claws very long, little curved. Similarly, behind, the 

 legs are deep rusty, the feet brown, the claws very long and 

 strong. Tail about as long as the head and body, its basal 

 three inches furred and coloured like the body, the middle 

 portion clothed with straight brown hairs about 6 mm. in 

 length, closely adpressed, the terminal inch and a half white, 

 the hairs of the extreme tip attaining nearly an inch in length. 



The length of the skull attains 53 ram., and that of the 

 three anterior molariform teeth 8*5 mm. 



This fine species is the extreme of the fossorial branch of 

 Phascogale, tlie genus tending to divide itself into two groups 

 which it may hereafter be advisable to consider as genera. 

 The one, typical, containing Ph. penicillata and the majority 



