NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS. 



149 



throughout ; they are dark mouse-grey above and greyish white below, with feet of the same colour 

 as the back. Two large males, from the National Park, near Sydney, have longer hair, and are darker 

 in colour ; the head and body measure [20 mm. and the tad 9 j mm. Specimens from west of the 

 Blue Mountains are much lighter in colour, being fawn-grey on the upper parts and yellowish-white 

 on the under parts and feet ; the line between the back and the belly is fulvous ; the proximal half 

 01 the tail is the same colour as the back, but the distal half is black, with the hair increasing in length 

 towards the tip, where it forms a slight crest. A male measures, head and body, no mm., tail SS mm. 



The Fat-tailed Pouched Mouse, Sminthopsis crassicaudata. 



This pretty little animal is about the size of an ordinary house-mouse, but in appearance and 

 movements has characteristics of its own. It frequently sits up on its hind legs, like a kangaroo, 

 and. when running, progresses with a jumpy movement somewhat between a run and a hop. Speci- 

 mens are found living on the ground, sheltering under logs, posts, heaps of grass, etc., where they make 

 neat little circular nests, open on top. and about three inches in diameter. They seem to be only 

 in evidence on the surface of the ground in winter, or more probably in the wet season, as a careful 



Fig. 2a. 



