

TRANSACTION'S' 



PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY 



OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



On fhe Vertebrated Animals of the Lower Murray and Darling, 

 their habits, economy, and geographical distribution, by 

 GERARD KREFFT. 



[Bead 10th September, 1862.] 



SOME of the observations embodied in this paper date back as far 

 as the year 1852, but the greater number are the results of a 

 nine months' sojourn on the Lower Murray and Darling, where, 

 encamped in the neighbourhood of Gol Gol, I was enabled, with 

 the assistance of Messrs. Williams and their devoted natives, to 

 thoroughly investigate the fauna of that part of Australia. 



I cannot speak too highly of the valuable co-operation of 

 these gentlemen, the same whom Mr. Landsborough met on his 

 return journey at the Warrego pushing on towards the Gulf, 

 and whom he designates " the best of Australian Bushmen." 



The Placental Mammals of this district are of course few. 

 They belong to the Bats, (Nyctophilus, Scotophilus, Rhinolophus,) 

 the Rodents, (Hydromys, Hapaloiis, MiisJ and the Carnivora, 

 which are represented here, as in the rest of Australia, by the 

 Dingo alone. 



CHEIROPTERA. 



The Bats of the Murray and Darling all belong to the family 

 Vespertilionidae, as the large so-called " Vampire Bat " or 

 " Flying Fox " (Pteropus) is not found in those regions. 



Owing to the superstitions of the natives, who look upon 

 every Bat as a departed friend and relative, who, according to 

 their ideas with regard to the transmigration of souls, has seen 

 better days among themselves, has thrown spear and boomerang, 

 and feasted upon Kangaroo, Wallaby, and Emeu, the number 

 of Bats collected during my journey was very limited indeed. 



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