MURIDAE RECORDED FROM VICTORIA 
77 
Thomas has already pointed out the enlarged caecum of 
Mastacomys, and Finlayson its likeness in skull structure to 
the Holarctic voles. Investigation of the stomach contents of 
recently- trapped animals disclosed coarse vegetable matter 
composed of the fibrous stalk of Wire Grass ( Tetrahena ) 
which is further evidence of the animal’s approach to Micri- 
tine forms. 
Recently several skulls were found in limestone caves on 
the River Glenelg. The dimensions of these agree with fuscus. 
Genus LEPORILLUS Thomas 1906. 
This genus contains the House-building Rats, large, blunt- 
headed, long-eared rats having a large but unspecialized pes 
with the normal six pads. The skull is stoutly built, and the 
molars are without posterio-internal cusps. 
Leporillus apical in (Gould). 
Hapalotis apicalis Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc., 1851, p. 126; id. Mamm. 
Aust., iii, pi. ii, 1863; Krefft, Cat. Mamm. Aust. Mus., p. 64, 1864; 
Spencer, Rept. Horn Expdn., ii, p. 11, 1896. 
Conilurus apicalis Ogilby, Aust. Mus. Cat., No. 16, Aust. Mamm., p. 116, 
1892; Waite, Proc. Roy. Soc. Viet., x, 2, p. 115, pi. v, 1898. 
Leporillus apicalis Thomas, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (7), xvii, p. 83, 
1906; Troughton, Rec. Aust. Mus., xvi, p. 32, 1923; Wood Jones, 
Mamm. Sth. Aust., iii, p. 334, 1925. 
General colour tawny-olive, lightly pencilled with black hairs. Dorsal fur (17 
mm.) slate for two-thirds of length, tipped with clay colour. On sides of body 
yellowness fades and general colour is about smoke-grey, the fur being slaty 
at base, with lighter tips, the grey showing through. Line of demarcation 
between dorsal and ventral colouration fairly sharply marked and situated 
well down the sides of the body. Fur of ventral surface white to base. Crown 
of head as body; cheeks grey, upper lip white. Mysticial vibrissae very 
long (80 mm.) and numerous; dark-brown with lighter tips. Ear long; 
greyish-brown; clothed on outer surface with brownish hair, inner surface 
with a few silvery hairs. Tail longer than head and body; dark-brown on 
upper surface for from two-thirds to four-fifths of its length, tip and under- 
side white; hairs fairly numerous, but not hiding scales except towards tip 
where they are much lengthened (18 mm.). Manus soiled white with a 
brown patch on the wrist extending more than half way down metacarpals; 
Phalanges white and well covered with adpressed white hair. Pes white; 
some specimens have brown mark along outer metatarsal; well clothed with 
white hair. 
Skull . — All available skulls have occipital region missing. More lightly 
built than other Victorian member of genus. Front edge of zygomatic plate 
almost straight and quite vertical. Interorbital region with sharply-angled 
edges. 
T eeth . — Incisors slender and narrow. Upper molars comparatively small ; 
slightly diverging posteriorly. 
