124 MACEOPODID^. 



upper surface passing down their centres to the tip of the middle 

 (fourth) toe, and leaving the sides of the metatarsus and the whole 

 of the hallux, second, third, and fifth digits naked. Soles naked, 

 coarsely granulated, with five prominent transversely-striated pads, 

 the postero-external about 12 miUim. long; pads at tips of toes 

 also striated. Tail hairy for its b^sal inch, then becoming abruptly 

 naked and scaly, a few minute hairs only growing between the 

 scales ; its colour black above, paler below. 



Skull and teeth as described above. Greatest breadth of nasals 

 going about 3^ times in their length. P.* above and below with 

 five or six distinct oblique grooves outside and inside. 



Dimensions. 



<^- 

 a (in spirit). 



millim. 



Head and body 250 



Tail 162 



Hind foot 61 



Ear 27 



, Skull, see next page. 



IFab. Queensland. 



Type in the Sydney Museum. 



The following account of the habits of this species is extracted 

 from Mr. Pierson Eamsay's original description (Z. c.) : — " I first 

 met with this highly interesting and anomalous marsupial while on 

 a visit to the Herbert River in January 1874, where it inhabits the 

 dense and damp portions of the scrubs which fringe the rivers and 

 clothe the sides of the coast-range in that district. The animal is 

 by no means rare, yet from its retiring habits and the dense nature 

 of the parts frequented by it, it is at all times difiBcult to obtain. 

 Its habits are chiefly diurnal, and its actions when not disturbed by 

 no means ungraceful; it progresses in much the same manner as 

 the Kangaroo-rats {Hypsiprymnus), to which it is closely allied, but 

 procures its food by turning over the debris in the scrubs in search 

 of insects, worms, and tuberous roots, frequently eating the palm- 

 berries (Ptychosperma alexandroe), which it holds in its fore paws 

 after the manner of the phalangers, sitting up on its haunches, or 

 sometimes digging like the bandicoots. Seldom more than one or 

 two are found together, unless accompanied by the young. In 

 March 1874 I obtained from Mr. K. Broadbent a female with two 

 young in the pouch, very small, and resembling young bandicoots. 

 During the same month a halfgrown young one was shot in com- 

 pany with the adult male and female. They evidently breed during 

 the rainy season, which lasts from February to May." 



a. Ad. al., cJ . Queensland. Sir R. Owen [P.], 



, J Ad. sks. I , o Queensland. Trustees of the Sydnev 



*'''• 1 Skulls, f o*- Museum [P.]. 



(Co-types of Pleepus nudicaudatus, Owen.) 



