DASYURUS MACROURUS. 131 



tail as long as the head and body taken together ; 

 ears rather short and rounded ; head large ; fur 

 rather short and harsh; general colour deep rich 

 chestnut brovvn^ somewhat rusty over the haunches, 

 and darker over the shoulders ; under parts of head 

 and body white, tinted with yellow in parts, espe- 

 cially on the throat and neck ; upper parts and sides 

 of body with irregular shaped white spots, those on 

 the sides of the body and over the haunches the 

 largest; tail deep brown, with irregularly scattered 

 largish white spots, the hairs moderately long but 

 not bushy ; head of a paler tint than the body, the 

 hairs partly brown, and partly of a pale yellow 

 colour ; fore-legs whitish, mottled with yellow, toes 

 brownish ; hind-legs coloured and spotted as body 

 externally ; on the fore part they are of a dirty yel- 

 low-white colour ; tarsi brown, mottled with yellow. 

 The fur on the upper and under side of the body is 

 of a pale ash colour at the base, excepting the hairs 

 composing the pale spots, which are uniform. The 

 ears are sparingly clothed with hairs, excepting to- 

 wards the margin, where the hairs are rather long ; 

 hairs of moustaches long, and chiefly of a brownish 

 black colour. 



Length from nose to root of tail, 1 7 inches ; tail, 

 15 inches; nose to base of ear, 3 inches; ear, I 

 inch ; tarsus, 2 inches 7 lines. 



Observations.— This species has proportionately a 

 shorter and more obtuse muzzle than either D, 

 Maugei or D. Geoffroyi, the ears are also shorter 

 and more rounded, and the tail is longer. 



