10 The Mammalian Fauna of the Australian Desert, (January, 
side. There is another mode of ingress or egress afforded by a 
tunnel burrowed by the rat from the floor of the structure under- 
ground to a distance of about three feet, when it rises to the sur- 
face in some clump of grass or small bush. This is evidently a 
mode of escape for the animal when surprised by aborigines or 
dingos (Canis dingo), which seem to be their only enemies. This 
rat is called “ kucala” by the natives, who prize them exceed- 
ingly as food. 
H. mitchelli and H. cervina are both nocturnal jerboa rats. Their 
nests consist simply of a few leaves and bunches of grass raked 
together in some clump of bushes. The natives eat them and call 
them respectively “arrttchi” and “ koolahroo.” 
Mus vellerosus is a small rat which infests large tracts of coun- 
try in droves during flood time. They migrate from place to 
place. Their well-beaten paths may often be seen winding through 
the sandhills, and sometimes the droves themselves. They are a 
great nuisance to the whites, as they eat up everything. Saddles, 
provisions and everything that can be hurt by an animal’s teeth 
must be placed up in trees or stumps away from the ground when 
the nightly camp is made, or all will be destroyed before morn- 
ing. The native (Dieyerie) name for them is “ mzaroo.” 
Hydromys fulvolovatus, the large Australian water rat, is com- 
mon in all the prominent water holes on Cooper’s creek. They 
live in holes in the banks, with one entrance opening under 
water and the other on the land. They live principally on 
roots, &c. The natives say that they kill and eat various water 
birds. I cannot say whether this is true or not, but I know 
that they will eat flesh. One day I shot some black swans 
(Chenopis atrata) and left them, after securing the skins, on 
the bank of a water hole. The next day I went there, and as 
I approached the dead swans I saw two or three water rats 
run away from them and disappear in the water. The swans 
were half eaten up, and had been dragged several yards nearer 
the water. I determined to make sure whether the rats had eaten 
of them or whether it was the dingos. I seasoned them with 
some strychnine and the next day found two dead rats by them. 
I think it is very probable that they do catch and eat birds. They 
are very large and ferocious, and can bite severely. The natives 
are afraid of them. 
The Carnivora are represented by Canis dingo. This dog is 
