736 



pouch occurs only in this species of Australian Muridae. Mr. 

 Oldfield Thomas does not regard the possession of the pouch 

 as a character of generic import, and therefore assigns the 

 species to the genus Noiomys, in which he also includes 3''. 

 mitcheUi, S . Jongicaiidatus, and 3'. richardsoni . 



In the interesting introduction to his "Index generum 

 Mammalium," Palmer 'i> cites the case provided by the 

 nomenclature of the genus as an example of confusion arising 

 from a misprint. He writes : — ''Waite, in proposing the 

 name Thylacomys for an Australian mouse, called atteixlion 

 to an obscure name given by Owen many years previoi^^-'v to 

 a group of marsupials, but contended that because the latter 

 was spelled Thalacomys (an obvious misprint), it did not pre- 

 occupy his name. Subsequently it was shown that Ow^en's 

 name was in reality first printed Thylacomys, but it appeared 

 in one publication and the description in another, so that the 

 name might be considered a nomeii nudum. It had, however, 

 been used afterwards in correct form in connection with a 

 marsupial prior to its application to a mouse. Waite, there- 

 fore, admitted that his Thylacomys was preoccupied, and 

 replaced it by a new name. Thomas, while admitting the 

 claims of Owen's name, with characteristic caution preferred 

 to adopt the evident misprint, Thalacomys. which was pub- 

 lished with a description, instead of the correct and really 

 earlier Thylacomys." 



[This wonderful little rat was seen more than once at 

 mid-day in the mulga scrub. When alarm.ed it places its tail 

 over the back and head and moves on its hind legs only. 

 When in full flight it is difficult to ascertain what the moving 

 object really is, appearing as little more than a blur. On one 

 occasion with two companions I chased one of the rats round 

 and about the bushes, finally running it to earth in a small 

 burrow. We dug it out in company with two large lizards. 

 The natives use the tip of the tail as an ornament.] 



In this connection it may be mentioned that the tails 

 used in all ornaments from Central Australia preserved in 

 the South Australian Museum are those of the Rabbit 

 Bandicoot (Peragcde layotis). 



MUS HERMANNSBURGENSIS, Waite. 



J/w.s /ierwarjns?>wrf7fr?s/.s, Waite : Rep. Horn Exp. Cent. Aust., 

 ii., 1896, p. 405, pi. xxvi,, fig, 5. 



Seven examples taken at Carmeena, Everard Range. 



[The mouse is not very common, but is found among the 

 granite boulders in the Everard Range : it is know^n to the 

 natives as "Menkie."] 



ti) Palmer: U.S. Dept. Agric, N. Amer. Fauna, No. 23, 1904, 

 p. 27. 



