Appendix C.

CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS THE GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE MAMMALIA OF AUSTRALIA, WITH NOTES ON SOME RECENTLY DISCOVERED SPECIES, BY J.E. GRAY, F.R.S., ETC. ETC., IN A LETTER ADDRESSED TO THE AUTHOR.

British Museum, 10th July 1841.

MY DEAR SIR,

The very little attention which has hitherto been paid to the distribution of the animals of Australia, and the very incorrect manner in which the habitats of the different species are given in collections and systematic works, have induced me to send you, with the description of the new species recently brought from that country, a table showing at one view the distribution of the different species which have hitherto been recorded as found in Australia, as far as the materials at my disposal will allow me.

I am the more induced to do so as I believe I have now under my care the richest collection of the animals of this country in any Museum; as, besides the specimens which we have been collecting from different quarters, with the kind assistance of Mr. Ronald Gunn, Mr. Harvey, and yourself, we have just purchased a complete series of all the species and varieties brought by Mr. Gould from different parts of this Continent; and these specimens were all marked with the habitat immediately after they were procured.

The first column in the following table indicates the species found in New South Wales, and the east part of the Continent; the number in the column specifying the particular habitats where the species has been observed,

1. Sydney, and its neighbourhood. 2. The Rivers Hunter and Maitland, and Goulburn Plains. 3. Liverpool Plains. 4. Liverpool Range. 5. The Namoi and Mokai Rivers. 6. Bong-Bong. 7. Yarrundi. 8. Interior (generally). 9. Australian Alps. 10. Murrumbidgee River. 11. Moreton Bay. 12. Clarence River. 13. Port Phillip. 14. Bathurst. 15. Interior of Australia Felix. 16. Murray River. 17. Bayunga River. 18. Darling River. 19. Glenelg River. 20. Port Stevens Mountains. 21. Port Macquarie.

The second column refers to South Australia, and the numbers in it to:

1. Adelaide and its vicinity. 2. Kangaroo Island. 3. The South Coast. 4. Port Lincoln. 5. Murray River.

The third column refers to Western Australia, as:

1. Perth. 2. King George's Sound. 3. Northam. 4. Canning River. 5. Rottnest and Garden Islands.

The fourth column refers to the North-west Coast of Australia:

1. Hanover Bay. 2. Islands in Shark Bay. 3. Dirk Hatterick's Bay. 4. Generally, the peculiar locality not being marked.

The fifth column to the North Coast:

1. Port Essington.

The sixth column to the Island of Van Diemen's Land, the numbers to:

1. Hobart Town. 2. Circular Head. 3. Bass Strait and King's Island. 4. New Norfolk. 5. Kangaroo Point. 6. Tasman's Peninsula. 7. Launceston. 8. Acteon Island. 9. Mount Wellington.

The seventh column to Norfolk Island, marked Number 1.

PRIMATES. Family Vespertilionidae.

1. Rhinolophus megaphyllus Gray. 1:10.

2. Nyctophilus geoffroyii Leach ? 1:1 1:7 3:1 6:1. Barbastellus pacificus Gray. Nyctinomus ---- ? Bennett. Var. major 3:1.

Scotophilus.

* Wings and interfemoral membranes with lines of hairs.

3. Scotophilus morio, new species.

4. S. gouldii, new species. 1:2 6:7.

5. S. australis, new species. 1:1 1:4 2:1 3:4 6:1.

** Wings nearly bald.

6. S. pumilus, new species. 1:7.

7. Molossus australis 5:1.

8. Pteropus poliocephalus Temm. 1:11 1:12. Pt. edwardsii G. Bennett not Desm.

FERAE. Family Felidae.

9. Canis familiaris australasiae. 1:1 2:1 ? Canis Dingo Blumenb. Family Phocidae.

10. Otaria peronii. 1:1 ?

Family Didelphidae.

11. Thylacinus cynocephalus Fischer 6:2. Didelphis cynocephalus Harris.

12. Diabolus ursinus 6:1 6:2. Didelphis ursina Harris. Sarcophilus ursinus F. Cuv.

Dasyurus.

* Thumb small, clawless.

13. D. maculatus 6:1 6:2. Viverra maculata Shaw. Dasyurus macrurus Geoff.

14. D. geoffroyii Gould 1:3.

** Thumb none.

15. Dasyurus viverrinus Geoff. 1:1 1:2 1:3 6:1 6:2. Didelphis viverrina Shaw. 1:6. Var. Das. maugei Geoff.

Phascogale Temm.

* Tail end tufted.

16. Ph. penicillata Temm. 1:2 1:11 2:1. Didelphis penicillata Shaw 1:3. Dasyurus tafa Geoff.

** Tail conical, end pencilled.

17. Ph. minima Temm. 6:3. Dasyurus minimus Geoff. Ph. swainsonii Waterh.

18. Ph. affinis, new species. 6:6.

19. Ph. rufogaster, new species. 2:1.

20. Ph. flavipes Waterh. 1:2 1:3.

21. Ph. murina Waterh. 1:2 3:4.

22. Ph. leucogaster, new species 3:1.

23. Myrmecobius fasciatus Waterh. 3:1.

24. ---- ---- ? rufus Mitchell. Red shrew mouse G. Bennett 1:8 ?

Perameles.

a Tail tapering. * Rump banded.

25. Per. gunnii Gray 6:1.

26. Per. fasciata new species 1:3 2:1.

** Hair grizzled, ears acute, long.

27. Per. nasuta Geoff. 1:1. P. aurita Mus Par. P. bougainvillii Quoy.

*** Hair grizzled, ears rounded. 3:2.

28. Per. fusciventer, new species.

29. Per. obesula Geoff. 1:1 ? 3:1 6:4 6:5. Didelphis obesula Shaw.

b. Hair soft, tail end tufted, ears very long, Paragalia.

30. Per. lagotis Reid 3:3.

31. Choeropus ecaudatus Ogilby 1:16. Perameles ecaudatus Ogilby.

32. Phalangista vulpina Desm. 1:7 1:4 2:2 3:2 3:3 5:1 6:1. Didelphis vulpina Shaw 1:5 1:10. Didelphis lemurina Shaw 1:11. Didelphis peregrina Bodd. Var. 1. 3:1. Var. 2. 1:5.

33. Phal. fuliginosa Ogilby 6:2. Var. grisea.

34. Phal. xanthopus Ogilby 1:19.

35. Phal. canina Ogilby 1:2.

36. Phal. cuvieri Gray 1:8 ? Ph. cookii Cuvier. Petaurus cookii F. Cuv.

37. Dromicia nana 6:1. Phalangista nana Geoff. Phal. gliriformis Bell.

38. Hepoona cookii 1:1 1:3 1:4 3:1 3:2 6:1. Phalangista cookii Gray 1:7. Phalangista banksii Gray. Balantia cookii Kuhl. Phalangista viverrina Ogilby.

39. Petaurista taguanoides Desm. 1:1 1:21.

40. Petaurista leucogaster 1:16. Petaurus leucogaster Mitchell.

41. Petaurus macrurus Geoff. 1:8 1:14. Didelphis macrura Shaw.

42. Petaurus flaviventer Desm. 1:3.

43. Petaurus breviceps 1:8. Belideus breviceps Waterh.

44. Petaurus sciureus Desm. 1:1 1:2 7:1. Didelphis sciurea Shaw. 1:3 1:13.

45. Petaurus peronii Desm. ? 1:2.

46. Acrobates pygmaeus Desm. 1:8. Didelphis pygmaea Shaw.

Macropus.

* Tail end simple; fur one-coloured.

47. Mac. major Shaw. 1:1 1:4 2:1 6:1 6:9. Macropus giganteus Shaw. 1:8 1:15. Halmaturus labiatus Geoff. Halmaturus rufogriseus Lesson ? Var. Macropus albus Gray.

48. Mac. laniger Lesson 1:5 1:10 2:15. Kangurus rufus Lesson 1:21 1:19.

49. Mac. fuliginosus Lesson 2:2.

** Tail end simple, back coloured.

50. Mac. lunatus Gould 3:1.

*** Tail end clawed. (Onychogalea.)

51. Mac. frenatus Gould 1:3 1:8.

52. Mac. unguifer Gould 4:1. Halmaturus.

* Tail long, end slightly tufted.

53. Hal. parryii Gray 1:20. Macropus parryii Bennett 1:3. Var. pallida Gray.

54. Hal. manicatus Gould 3:1. Hal. irma Jourdan. ** Tail simple, back one-coloured.

55. Hal. bennettii Waterh. 4:1. Hal. ualabatus Gray 4:2 4:3. Halm. fruticus Ogilby 4:5 4:7.

56. Hal. ualabatus Lesson 1:2. Halm. lessonii Gray.

57. Hal. elegans 1:6 1:15. Mac. elegans Lambert. Hal. ruficollis Lesson, Gould.

58. Hal. billardieri Lesson 6:1 6:2. Hal. tasmanii Gray 6:3 6:7. Hal. rufiventer Ogilby.

59. Hal. eugenii Gray 1:1 1:2 2:1 ? Hal. thetis Lesson. Kangurus eugenii Desm.

60. Hal. brachyurus Quoy 3:2. Hal. thylogale brevicaudatus Gray

*** Tail simple, back streaked.

61. Hal. dorsalis Gray 1:8 1:5 1:17 1:3.

62. Hal. parma Gould 1:1.

63. Hal. derbianus Gray 2:2. Var. obscurior 3:5.

64. Hal. ? banksianus Lesson 1:1 ?

65. Hal. fasciatus Goldf. 4:2. Kangurus fasciatus Lesson.

Petrogale.

* Tail conical, slightly tufted.

66. P. robusta Gould 1:4 1:8.

** Tail end tufted.

67. P. brachyotis Gould 4:1.

68. P. penicillata Gray 1:3 1:21. Heteropus albogularis Jourdan.

69. P. lateralis Gould 3:1.

70. Hypsiprymnus minor Cuv. 1:1 6:1. Macropus minor Shaw. Hyps. myosurus Ogilby.

71. Hyps. ? lesueurii Quoy 4:3.

72. Hyps. gilbertii Gould 3:2.

73. Lagorchestes leporoides Gould 1:3 1:5.

Bettongia Gray.

* Tail end blackish.

74. Bett. setosa Gray 1:3 1:5. Hypsiprymnus setosus Ogilby. Hyp. murinus Ogilby. Var. Bett. penicillata Gray.

75. Bett. ogilbii Gould 3:1.

** Tail end brown, white tipped.

76. Bett. whitei Gould 1:1. Hypsiprymnus whitei Quoy. H. formosus Ogilby. Hyp. phillipii Ogilby.

77. Bett. grayii 2:4. Hyp. grayii Gould.

*** Tail grey, ears black.

78. B. rufescens Gray 1:1. Bett. melanotis Ogilby.

79. Phascolarctos fuscus Desm. 1:1 1:8. Ph. cinereus Fischer. Lipurus cinereus Goldf.

80. Phascolomys ursinus 1:8 2:1 6:1 6:2. Didelphis ursina Shaw 1:15 6:3. Wombatus fossor Geoff. Phasc. fuscus Desm. Amblotis fossor Illiger.

Order GLIRES. Family Muridae.

81. Hydromys chrysogaster Geoff. 1:3 1:11 3:1 6:1 6:2 6:8. Hyd. leucogaster Geoff.

82. Pseudomys australis Gray 1:3.

83. Mus setifer Horsf. 6:1.

84. Mus lutreola new species 1:2 2:1 6:5 6:3.

85. Mus greyii new species 2:1.

86. Mus adelaidensis new species 2:1.

87. Mus ? platurus Mitchell 1:18.

88. Mus ? hovellii Mitchell 1:17.

89. Hapalotis albipes Licht. 1:3 1:9 ? Conilurus destructor Ogilby 1:18.

90. Hapalotis mitchellii 1:16. Dipus mitchellii Ogilby.

91. Hapalotis gouldii new species 3:1.

Order UNGULATA. Family Dasypidae.

92. Echidna aculeata 1:4 1:8. Myrmecophaga aculeata Shaw. Tachyglossus aculeatus Illiger. Echidna hystrix Cuv.

93. Echidna setosa 6:1 6:2. Ornithorhynchus hystryx var. Home. Tachyglossus setosus Illiger.

94. Platypus anatinus Shaw 1:1 6:4. Ornithorhynchus paradoxus Blum. Orn. rufus and O. fuscus Leach. O. crispus and elvis Macgillivray. O. brevirostris Ogilby.

Order CETAE.

95. Delphinorhynchus pernetttensis 5:1.

96. Balaena physalis 4:1.

Total of species found in each country 1:60 2:18 3:20 4:6 5:3 6:22 7:1.

Total of species peculiar to each country 1:45 2:6 3:12 4:6 5:2 6:11 7:0.

Of these species there are:

Non-Marsupial:

Primates 8.

Ferae 2.

Cetae 2.

Glires 11.

Total 23

Marsupial (Didelphidae) 71.

Monotrematous 3.

Total 97.

This list shows the progress which has taken place in the knowledge of the Australian animals; for only a few years ago it was generally stated that the Australian dog was the only non-Marsupial animal found on the continent.

The following species appear to be new to science.

Number 1. Rhinolophus megaphyllus, Gray Proceedings of the Zoological Society 1834 52.

Brown, end of the hairs of the back with small, and on the lower side of the body with longer, grey tips. Ears with two hairy lines on each side. Wings with little tufts of short hairs near the side of the body beneath. (Nose leaf destroyed.) Body, 2 inches 3-12; fore-arm, 1 11-12; tail 11-12; fore-legs, 9-12; ears, 7-12.

Number 2. Scotophilus morio, Gray.

Back uniform, brownish black, scarcely paler beneath; cheeks nearly black; underside of wings, and interfemoral membrane with lines of hairs; heel bone elongated, slender; ears moderate rounded; tragus oblong blunt; fore-arm bone, 1 10-12; shin bone, 9-12 of an inch.

Number 4. Scotophilus gouldii, Gray.

Blackish, hinder half of the back brownish; sides and abdomen brownish ash; ears rather large, broad; tragus half ovate; underside of the wings and interfemoral membrane with lines of hairs.

Var. 1. Hinder part of the back greyish; sides of the abdomen grey. Inhabits Australasia, Mr. Gould.

Number 5. Scotophilus australis, Gray.

Back blackish; tips of the hairs rather browner; beneath rather paler on the sides of the abdomen; ears small; tragus oval lanceolate, rather crescent-shaped; wings, with sixteen or eighteen oblique cross lines of hairs under each fore-arm, and scattered hairs on the sides of the body; fore-arm, bone, 1 5-12; shin bone, 15-24. Var. rather larger fore-arm bone, 1 7-12; shin bone, 17-24.

Number 6. Scotophilus pumilus, Gray.

Grey brown, base of the fur blackish, beneath paler; cheeks blackish; ears small, rather thin, longer than the fur; tragus elongate, half as long as the ears, rounded at the end; wings nearly bald, except near the arm-pit; interfemoral membrane hairy at the base; heel-bone elongate, two-thirds the length of the margin of the interfemoral membrane. Head and body, 1 2-12; tail 11-12; fore-arm bone, 1 2-12.

This species, Mr. Gould notes, flies quick and low over water.

Number 7. Molossus australis. See Gray, Magazine of Zoology and Botany