1296 NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF THE BELLENDEN-KER RANGES, 
The “ Musk Rat,” under which name it is known to the settlers 
in the Rockingham Bay and Cairns Districts, is far from being 
common. I obtained five specimens in 1874, but since then two 
only, although a careful search has been made for them by 
several collectors in both of the above-named districts. An 
important paper on this anomalous Marsupial will be found in 
the “ Transactions of the Linnean Society of London” (2nd Series, 
Vol. I. p. 573, pi. 71-72), by Sir Richard Owen, C.B., F.R.S., ttc. 
Only one specimen was obtained by the INIusenm collectors 
during last season (1887). 
Dasyurus gracilis, sp.nov. 
. C. P-M. M. 
3-3 1-1 2-2 4-4 
22 
20 
Total, 42. 
Total length, about 23 inches. 
Body from snout to base of tail, 13 inches. 
From snout to eye, 1-40 inches. 
From snout to base of ear in front, 2-40 inches. 
Length of ear from base in front, 0’75 inch. 
Foi'e-arm, 2 ‘20 inches. 
Fore-foot without nails, 1'50 inches. 
Hind-limb, 2 '70 inches. 
Hind-foot, 2 ’30 inches. 
Tail, 9 '30 inches. 
Length of hair beyond the tip, 1 inch. 
General color, above and below, deep blackish-brown with white 
spots : the fur is short, close, somewhat harsh to the touch, on the 
limbs and tail similar, but a little shorter on the latter, which ends 
in an elongated tuft of hair 1 inch to L50 in length on the upper 
side only, the hair on the under side being very short. The white 
spots are large.st and sonjetimes confluent on the sides of the body 
and basal half of the tail, and also on the inner sides of the limbs 
and the belly ; on the remaining portion of the tail, the limb.s, and 
