3 
Freckled Antechinus (Antechinus apiccdisj. 
General colour grey-brown, of a very rich brown hue on the hinder parts of the body ; on the head and 
fore-parts of the body distinctly freckled with black and white ; under-parts dirty yellow-white ; fore-legs of a bright 
rust colour ; hind-legs distinctly tinted externally with the same colour ; tail clothed at the roots with hairs like those 
of the body,' but with the hairs becoming gradually shorter towards the apex, where they are black. Total length, 
9 to io inches. 
Habitat — West Australia. Called “ Dibbler” by the Aborigines of West Australia. 
Yellow-footed Axtechinus (Antechimis JLavipes). 
General colour of upper parts grey, towards behind rusty-tinted ; feet and under-parts of body of the same 
rust colour; tail much darker. Total length, 8^ inches. 
Habitat — Australia generally. 
Stuart’s Antechinus (Antechimis stuartii). 
Rather larger than the previous species, and of a more uniform colour; grey, with a wash of brown, probably 
a variety of A. flavipes. 
Spotted Antechinus ( Antechinus mciculatus). 
This is a small species from New South Wales (Clarence River district); colouration dark blackish-brown above 
and slate-grey below, with a few white spots, and a similar spot on the throat. The following small species is probably 
a variety of it. 
Little Antechinus (Antechinus minutissimus) . 
This is probably the smallest of the group ; above greyish-brown, lighter beneath. Total length, perhaps 
3 inches. We noticed a specimen in the Musuem collection, obtained by Mr. G. Masters, which had six good-sized 
young attached to the nipples. The mother was trailing them along the ground with some difficulty, when he bagged 
the whole family group. Though we have often stated a certain number of mammae to be constant in certain species, 
this cannot be relied upon always. This specimen has six young, six drawn nipples, and an odd one on one side, 
distinct but not in milk. 
The animals which we have had under consideration belong to what we have described in a former paper as 
the broad-footed section, and they number live in all ; they are more or less arboreal in their habits, and their fur is 
only moderately soft. 
We will now enumerate the members of the remaining section, which have been classed under the generic 
name of Podabrus. 
GENUS PODABRUS. 
Comprising the silky-furred and slender-footed species, with more or less terrestrial habits. 
The following animals possess a skin as delicate and soft as a mole, but of longer texture; the tail, often 
incrassated, is covered with short adpressed hair, unlike the Antechini proper, in which the hairs of the tail are always 
of unequal length, and very harsh to the touch. 
White-footed Antechinus (Podabrus albipes). 
Three species appear to be enumerated of the white-footed silky-furred section ; but the other two are no 
doubt identical with the above, though named otherwise and respectively Antechinus leu, copus and fuliginosus. If, after 
careful investigation of their anatomy, we should come to the conclusion that they constituted three distinct species, the 
result will be made known, though it will not alter much our present arrangement. These little animals are by no 
means rare in less settled parts, and are caught in large numbers by the aborigines of the Murray and of King 
George s Sound. In the immediate neighbourhood of Sydney they have been found occasionally under stones during 
the winter-time, but never more than about two in three years by one collector. Their nocturnal habits and small 
size make it difficult for the best observer to obtain specimens. 
The two remaining species, which are distinguished by a tail more or less incrassated, but appear otherwise 
identical with P. albipes, are named Thick-tailed Podabrus (Podabrus crassicaudatusj , and Large-tailed Podabrus (Podabrus 
