39 



March 13, 1832. 



Richard Owen, Esq., in the Chair. 



Mr. Gray described three new animals, brought from New Hol- 

 land by Mr. Cunningham, Of these, one was a Quodri/ped, forming 

 a new genus of the Order Rodentia ; the two others Reptiles of the 

 family of Lizards. The quadriqied was characterized as follows : 



PSEUDOMYS. 



Denies primores *, superiores antice rotundati laeves, inferiores 

 subulati : molares 4, 4 radicati ; superiores oblongi, primus major 

 elongatus extiis uni-plicatus ; inferiorum primus compressiusculus 

 secundo duplo longior, postremus parvus oblongus extus plicatus. 



Caput magnum. Aures majuscula? nudiusculae. Jrtus sub- 

 aequales, digiti.s 5, 5, longis liberis compressis, unguibus parvis cur- 

 vatis. Cauda filiformis subannulata pilis brevibus setosis vestita. 



The general appearance of this animal agrees with that of the 

 Water-Rats ; but the teeth are simple, and approach in character, 

 as they correspond in number with, those of the true Rats. They 

 differ, however, in the adult animal (the only state 'n which Mr. 

 Gray had an opportunity of observing them,) in the front grinders 

 of the lower jaw being much more compressed and elongated; and 

 in the front grinder of the upper jaw and the hinder one of the lower 

 having each a fold on the outer edge, and a corresponding ridge 

 across the outer surface of the crown. The skull appears, judging 

 from its remains, which were exhibited to the Committee, to bear 

 a close resemblance in shape to that of the Rat. On the fore feet 

 the thumb is short, almost rudimentary, and furnished with a claw; 

 the second and third toes are nearly equal, and longer than the first 

 and fourth, of which the latter is rather the shortest. On the hind 

 feet the thumb is short and slender, the second, third, and fourth 

 toes are nearly equal, and the fifth is shorter, and placed higher. 

 The following is the specific character of the animal : 



PsEUDOMYS AusTRALis. Pseud. nigrescent i-h'umieus cineras- 

 cente interstinctus, infra cinereo-rufescens ; collo pectoreciue ci- 

 nerascentihus. 



Hab. in Nova Hollandia Oriental! extratropica. 



The fur is soft, close, thick, blackish brown, and slightly grizzled 

 at the tips of the hairs; beneath, it is of a reddish ash; and on the 

 throat and breast grayish ash. The whiskers are slender, weak, and 

 reach beyond the ears. The head and body measure 5^ inches ^ 

 the tail 3^ ; the fore foot 5^ lines ; and the hind foot 1 inch. 



Mr. Cunningham states that the animal inhabits holes in swampy 

 sandy grounds on the south-west or lower side of Liverpool Plains 

 in New Holland. 



