185 



"Dimensions of th© type (measured on the skin) : — Head 

 and body, 195 mm.; tail, 178 mm. (not quite perfect); hind 

 foot, 48 mm. ; ear (dry), 24 mm. 



''Skull: greatest length, 48; condylo-incisive length, 46; 

 zygomatic breadth, 23*5; nasals, 18x6; interorbital breadth, 

 5'7; breadth of brain-case, 18*5; zygomatic plate, 6; palatilar 

 length, 13*6; palatal foramina, 8*8x3*8; bulla, 7*8; upper 

 molar series, 9*3." 



To this description it is only necessary to add one or two 

 notes. The fur of the living animal is remarkable for its 

 fluffy character, and "thin and poor," though applicable to 



WPPcR LEFT l.Ol^£R T^/GHT 



Fig. 4. 



LeporUlus jonesi. Crown form of tlie molar teeth. From a 



young adult female specimen. Five times natural size. 



the type skin, is not characteristic of the living animal. In 

 a state of nature the rat has that compact and fluffy appear- 

 ance that is more reminiscent of a little rabbit than of a more 

 typical rat. It sits bunched up, so that it appears to be far 

 broader and shorter than the prepared skin would suggest. 

 The ears are carried well away from the head (see fig. 1), 

 and, probably as the result of fighting, they are usually irregu- 

 larly notched around their margins. The nipples are four in 

 number, and are situated in the inguinal region. It appears 

 that the young adhere firmly to the nipples, and for a time 

 are dragged about by the mother; it is this circumstance 

 which has led to a belief that the animal is a marsupial. 



F 



