THE ANNALS 



AND 



MAGAZINE OF NATUEAL HISTORY. 



[FIFTH SERIES.] 

 No. 54. JUNE 1882. 



XLIV. — On two new 'Mmidis. from Tasmania. By 

 Olufield Thomas, F.Z.S., British Museum. 



AmonPt the considerable collection of Australian Miirida3 in 

 the British Museum are the two following new rats from 

 Tasmania, for the first of which I have found it necessary to 

 create a new genus, which I propose to Ccill 



Mastacomys *, g. n. 



Like Afus^ but with the molars enormously bi'oadened and 

 of somewhat different pattern, and with fewer mammse. 



Mastacomys fuscus, sp. n. 



Fur extremely long and soft ; general colour dark greyish 

 brown both above and below, the hairs being bluish slate- 

 coloured for the greater part of their length, with their tips 

 light brown above and nearly white below. Ears coloured 

 like the back. Tail and upperside of feet clothed with dark 

 brown hairs, those on the former not lighter below. Skin of 

 both feet and tail very dark-coloured. 



Ears rather large ; tail shorter than the head and body. 

 Hind feet with the fifth toe reaching just to the base of the 



* /ioo-ra^, tho chewing-orgau, the jaw, from fxaa-dofiai, to chew. 

 Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 5. Vol. ix. 29 



