D r . F. A. JENTINK. MAMMALS. 13 



16. Phascogale mêlas Schlegel et Mùller. 



N°. 117. Adult maie (in alcohol), Alkmaar, August 10. 1907. 



Ear and hind foot on plate I, fig s . 17 and 18. 



I regret it with OLDFIELD Thomas (Catalogue, p. 280) that this most splendidly coloured 

 of the whole Phascogale-group should be called mêlas, however the latter name has a priority 

 of date of 20 years, so that there is no way to escape. Nay in the case that it later on can 

 be pointed out that there are living several forms of this fine animal in différent parts of 

 New Guinea and surrounding islands, then the name mêlas still must be retained for the 

 species from the Triton Bay, where the type-specimen has been captured, the Salawati- 

 animal should in that case be the true thorbeckiana, the Andai-specimen the type of Bruynïi, 

 a. s. o. The type-specimen (a now stuffed skin) of mêlas from the Triton Bay measured according 

 to XIÙLLER and SCHLEGEL: head and body 200 mm., tail 188 mm., eye to end of nose 24 mm. 

 and hind foot 34 mm.; indeed important différences with the measurements of our Alkmaar- 

 specimen (see below) ; the more Dr. MÙLLER stated that several Papuans told him that the 

 animais [mêlas) live in the wood on the soil, where they feed by night, and that they call it 

 Insinsie. We see that they looked upon it not as a curiosity or something unknown; perhaps 

 there is still living a wholly dark coloured Phascogale (Verhand. Nat. Gesch. Nederl. Overz. 

 Bezittingen, Zoologie, 1839 — 1844, p. 152). 



Our Alkmaar-specimen measures (wet): 



head and body 240 mm. 



tail 162 „ 



eye to end of nose .... 28.5 „ 



hind foot 40 „ 



By comparing thèse measurements with those given by other authors we find very 

 important différences, not always to ascribe to sex or âge. 



