316 MR. G. KREFFT ON AUSTRALIAN MAMMALS. [Mar. 28, 



Prof. Schlegel had united the two latter species together, which he 

 would hardly have done if he had seeu the living birds. 



The following papers were read : — 



1. Notes on the Mammals and Birds of Caj)e York^ with 

 Description of Two New Rodents of the Genus Hapa- 

 lotis. By Gerard Krefft, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S. 



Some months ago I purchased for the Australian Museum a few 

 Mammals and Birds collected at Cape York, among which were 

 several specimens of a very large Hapalotis, for which I propose the 

 name of 



Hapalotis caudimaculata*. 



Fur harsh and coarse, reddish brown upon the back, and grey on 

 the sides, beneath white. The hair appears stiff and shiny, and 

 consists of some which is grey at the base, white or yellowish white 

 on the upper part, generally tipped with brown, and of much longer 

 and stiffer brown hairs, the tips of which are almost black. Thin 

 silvery hairs cover the feet ; and an elongate patch of a darker hue 

 commences at the elbow, runs tapering along the ovitside of the arm, 

 and stops at the base of the third toe. A similar band is indicated 

 on the hind feet, extending from a little above the heel to the base 

 of the third toe ; the marks are caused by the white hair being 

 tipped with brown. The nails are large, very broad at the base, 

 and not very sharp, the animal frequenting rocks more than trees. 

 The first toe is very short, and has a broad blunt round nail. There 

 is a black elongate mark above and below the eye, and on each 

 corner the skin appears destitute of a hairy covering. The whiskers 

 are black, strong, and very long, reaching far beyond the ear, which 

 is of moderate size, flesh-colour, and covered with short hair. The 

 tail is quite nude, and the scales on it, which are large and coarse, 

 do not overlap each other. Various individuals differ in the colora- 

 tion of the caudal ap])eudage ; but in all of them is the apical por- 

 tion white, but sometimes more or less spotted with black, and the 

 basal part black, and occasionally spotted with white ; though gene- 

 rally the tail is about half black and half white, yet there is one 

 specimen in which the black colour covers only one-third of the 

 whole. The measurements of one of the dry skins are as follows : — 



inches. 



From tip of nose to base of tail 28 



Tail 13i 



Face to base of ear 3 



Ear 1 



Fore leg to elbow 3 



Tarsus and toes 2\ 



* A subsequent coiiuuuiucaliou from Mr. Kretft points out that this luay be 

 the same as Ur. Gray's Mus macropus (P. Z. S. 18G6, p. 221).— P. L. S. 



