HOUN EXPEDITION—MAMMALIA. 
51 
The line grains of tlie sand through which it burrows would have been a 
fruitful source of irritation, resulting constantly in the production of inllamination, 
and more than counterbalancing the advantage to be gained from the possession of 
eyes when it did come to the surface, for it must be remembered that Notoryctes 
is in reality more a surface animal than the Eui'opean mole. 
The only way in which the blacks capture it is by accidentally finding it on 
the surface after tracking it up on the damp sand, which shows that it noi’mally 
spends a part of its time above-ground. 
As yet, unfortunately, we know nothing of the development,. no embryos 
having been found in the pouch, so that even the conditions of the newly-born 
young with regard to the eyes is unknown. 
Order Monotpemata. 
Family Echidnid.e. 
(1) Echidna acuieata, var. typica, Shaw. 
Despite the arid nature of the country, the rocky and scrubby hills of Central 
Australia, abounding with ant-nests, are not unsuited to the Echidna, and it has 
apparently a wide distribution. The northern specimens, from the neighbourhood 
of Barrow Creek, are said to be very small in size ; but the southern ones, caught 
on the desert sandstone hills near Charlotte Waters, are only perhaps a little 
smaller than the average mainland form.* The only difference between them and 
the typical form lies in the fact that they are considerably lighter in colour. The 
hair, instead of being dee[) brown or black, is yellowish brown—lighter than in the 
Tasmanian variety ; while the spine tips are a not very dark brown instead of 
black. 
DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 
Plate I. 
'ig- 
1 . —■ I’hascologale 
foot X 
cristicaiida. 
1. 
Female. 
Life size. 
Li: hand x 1. 
1/; 
J? 
2. — Sminthopsis 
foot X 
psaininophilus. 
2. 
Male. 
Life size. 
'2a hand x 2. 
’2b 
* It is usually stated (pule British Museum Catalogue, p. 3S1) that the Tasmanian variety is of a size 
“ averaging larger than in the typical variety.” This is hy no means true, as (Queensland specimens are con¬ 
siderably larger than the Tasmanian form, whilst Victorian ones are (juite as large. 
112 
U. 5LL LiliX 
