2 
4- Elsey s Hapalotis, or Tree Rat. Hapalotis hemileucura. North Australia. 
5- Great Hapalotis, or Tree Rat. Hapalotis hirsutus. North Australia. 
6. Spotted-tailed Tree Rat.* Hapalotis (or Mus) macropus. North Australia. 
7. Building Hapalotis. Hapalotis conditor. This curious rat was first discovered by the late Captain Sturt, on 
the Murray and Darling, and the gallant explorer gives the following description of it : — “ The Building Rat 
inhabits the brushes of the Darling, but was not found beyond latitude 30°. It builds a nest of small 
sticks, varying in length from three to eight inches, and in thickness from that of a quill to that of 
the thumb, arranged in a most systematic manner, so as to form a compact cone, like a bee-hive, about 
four feet in diameter and three feet high. Those at the foundation are so disposed as to form a compact 
flooring, and the entire fabric is so firm as almost to defy destruction, except by fire. The animal, which 
is like an ordinary rat, only that it has longer ears, and the hind-feet are disproportioned to the fore-feet, 
lives in communities, and traverses the mounu by means of passages leading into the apartments in the 
centre. One of these nests or mounds had five holes or entrances at the base, nearly equidistant from- each 
other, with passages leading from them to a hole in the ground beneath, in which I am led to conclude 
they had their store. There were two nests of grass in the centre, with passages running up to them 
diagonally from the bottom ; the nests were close together, but in separate compartments, with passages 
communicating from the one to the other.” Many years have passed since the gallant Captain explored 
these regions. Then only fleet-footed Wallabies disturbed the Building Rat; now herds of cattle tramp 
heavily over the country, and the little architect has been obliged to quit his dwelling, which is however 
often reoccupied by another rat the W hite-tipped Hapalotis. \\ e have had an opportunity of examining 
many of the curious structures described above ; but out of at least fifty, only one contained a solitary 
“ Kohl, the aboriginal name for the Building Rat. The nests so examined were not empty, but, as 
already stated, they frequently harboured a family of the W hite-tipped Hapalotis, a smaller and very gentle 
species — so gentle indeed as to be encouraged to share our frugal meals when we have been encamped for 
a few months near their habitations. 
The Building Rat has large slender ears, and not a pencilled tail; it may belong to another section, 
but it is enumerated here for want of a better place at present. 
(b.) Jerboa-like Rats. Two distinct species of jumping mice inhabit Australia; the larger is found on the West Coast, 
and the smaller on the Murray and Darling. These mice or rats progress on their hind legs, like the Kangaroo. 
They form burrows in the sandhills, which the aborigines soon find out and trace to the very end, for the purpose 
of obtaining the inhabitants to roast them, when they cannot procure larger game : — 
8. Long-tailed Jerboa. Hapalotis longkaudata. “Kor-tung” and “ Gool-a-wa ” of the aborigines of Moore’s River, 
Western Australia. 
9. Mitchell’s Jerboa. Hapalotis mitehellii. “ Kahlpere ” of the Murray natives; “ Djir-dow-in ” of the aborigines 
near Perth; “ Mat-tee-getch ” of the Moore’s River tribes. 
Genus Mus. 
The common rats of Australia, that is, species with moderate ears and tails, are numerous, and difficult to classify. 
We enumerate them as follows : — 
Dusky-footed Rat. (Mus fuscipes.) Western Australia, South Australia, Islands of Bass’s Straits, New South 
Wales, and probably Tasmania. 
Tawny Rat. (Mus vel/orosus .) A long-haired species, from South Australia. Only one specimen in existence. 
Long-haired Rat. (Mus longipilis.) Probably identical with the above. A single specimen in the Australian 
Museum, from the Victoria River. 
Buff-footed Rat. (Mus cervinipes) A Queensland and New South Wales species, named “ Corrill ” by the 
aborigines of Stradbrook Island, Moreton Bay, and “ Cunduov ” by the Richmond River natives. 
Allied Rat. (Mus assimilis) “Moor-deet” of the King George’s Sound tribes. 
White-footed Rat. (Mus manicatus .) An allied species, from Port Essington. 
Sordid Rat. (Mus sordidus .) “Dil-pea” of the aborigines of the Darling Downs District, New South Wales. 
Plain Rat. (Mus lineolatus.J ‘War-lie ” of the aborigines of the Darling Downs. 
Gould’s Rat. (Mus goiddi.J “ Kurn-dyne ” of the aborigines of Moore’s River, West Australia. 
Little Rat. (Mus nanus.) “Jib-beetch” — aborigines of Moore’s River, West Australia. 
Greyish-white Mouse. (Mus albocinereus) “Noo-jee” — aborigines of West Australia, Perth District ; “ Jiip-pert” — 
aborigines of Moore’s River, West Australia. 
New Holland Field Mouse. (Mus novar-hollandue.) New South Wales. 
Delicate-coloured Mouse. (Mus delicatulus) “ Mo-lyne-be ” — aborigines of Port Essington. 
* Tliis gigantic Rat lias a more or less spotted tail, which is without a brush at the tip. It is a new discovery, and has been described as JTapaloiis caudimaculaia by Krefft, ail’d 
under another name by Dr. Peters. It grows as large as the common Bandicoot — Perameles nasuta. 
