6 VERTEBRATA OF THE LOWER MURRAY, 



an opportunity of observing. But there are, no doubt, still many 

 species of Rodents new to science ; in fact, several skins of 

 Ha/patotie were received through native tribes living some 100 

 miles further north, but all were in such bad preservation, that 

 it was found impossible to give a correct description of them. 



MARSUPIALIA. 



By far the larger number of animals inhabiting the extensive 

 plains on the Murray and Darling are marsupial ; and with a few 

 exceptions truly nocturnal in their habits. 



This accounts for the apparent scarcity of animal life ; and 

 often do travellers mention, that except an occasional Kangaroo, 

 they have never met with any mammalian animal in the interior 

 of the country. 



Two-thirds of the smaller mammalia collected and examined 

 by me on the Murray were new to many old residents, and even 

 the natives, who, in many parts, have acquired habits different 

 from their former mode of life, had almost forgotten the existence 

 of some of these species. With the aid of the Messrs. Williams 

 and the natives, I succeeded in procuring every species known 

 to exist in that part of Australia ; and in finding also a number 

 of animals of this order which hitherto had been only known to 

 frequent Western and South Australia. 



The following are the different genera : 

 f Dasijurus. 



Phascogale. 

 Dasyuridse ~{ Antechinus. 



Podabrug. 

 ^ Mijrmecobius. 

 r Chceropus. 



Peramelidae -{ Perayalea. 

 (, Perameles. 



Phalangistid* 



(. Bclidceus. 



r Macropus. 



Onychoqalca. 

 Macropodidas { T * 



jLagorchestes. 



^ Bettongia. 



