466 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
P.S.—April 19 : Another Torpedo was caught to day in the 
harbour, and has come into my possession. The only difference 
between the two specimens is that the last has the under surface 
very pink, and differs slightly in the general outline. In dissect- 
ing the specimen I found nothing in the stomach or intestines: 
but a kind of green slime. Two worms (probably Tania) were 
found in the preserving fluid, which must have come from the 
fish, and attached to the wall of the gill cavity I found a Distoma. 
Both specimens were immature females. 
A MAORI RAT AT GREYMOUTH.—For several years I have 
tried to obtain a specimen of the so-called native rat, which, 
according to information, has been met with in abundance in this 
part during some seasons, but I was only lucky enough to see 
one yesterday for the first time. It was caught in a house in 
this town. The description of this interesting animal is as follows: 
—Weight, 45£0z.; Length, from tip of snout to root of tail, 
7%in. ; Length of tail, 73/in. ; Length of head, from ear to tip 
of snout, measured laterally and frontally, 17gin. ; Length of ear, 
Zin. ; Breadth of ear, 34in.; Longest hair in whiskers, 21%in. 
Fur: Back, dark, almost black ; the longer hairs possessing an 
olive-coloured gloss ; the shorter are lighter and grey near the 
skin, intermixed scantily with almost white hairs which, how- 
ever, only show when the fur is ruffled. Side, light grey, which 
colour extends as far forward as the whiskers, blending well 
with the dark back and with the fur of the underside, which is 
uniform ashy grey Whiskers, black and profuse. Hind feet 
with 5 toes, fore feet with 4 toes, an inner dwarfed one, all armed 
with sharp curved nails except the dwarfed toe, which shows 
only a horny covering. Feet and toes covered with short grey 
hair, lengthening towards tips of toes, particularly on hind feet. 
underside of feet smooth; the fore feet each with 5, the hind 
with six pads. Tail scaly, covered thinly with short dark bristling 
hair. Ears of a dull darkish-brown colour, rounded, almost 
smooth, finely pubescent near margins. Teeth: incisors of dark 
yellow colour rounded in front and almost pointed ; the lower 
much longer and protruding over 44 inch. Molars : 3 pairs each 
side, white ; the anterior larger than the middle and twice the 
size of the posterior. The vertebral column consists of 31 joints, 
7 in neck and 24 to base of tail. 12 pairs ofribs. The specimen 
is a male, and seems to be full grown. Unfortunately some 
other rats had mutilated it slightly near the left shoulder, and as 
it had most likely been dead for several days the entrails were 
beginning to decompose, which prevented me from discovering 
what the animal had fed upon, as there was scarcely any food in 
the stomach. The trap had been baited with cheese. I found 
no trace of mamme. 
Greymouth, Nov. 27, 1882. R. HELMS. 
THISTLES AND THEIR USES.—Mr. Barker, of Waikonini, 
South Canterbury, adds his testimony to that already recorded 
