APPENDIX.
DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS.
BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.
I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the
Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the
natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming
acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are
marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as
bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera.
Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.)
I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was
peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the
one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital
at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the
brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an
orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America.
THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1. - Ears
moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central
process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft,
bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under
side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with
brown tips to the hair of the upper parts.
Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N.
The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the
membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings.
Male. Female.
The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10
The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10
The length of the shin-bone 8 8
The length of the ankle and foot 4 4
II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the
different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that
period the British Museum has received from the different travellers
various other species from that country. The lizards have been described
in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are
being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most
interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs
which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to
describe: -
GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE. - Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate
concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the
internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth
large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather
convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short;
toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish
tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short;
the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the
inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal
sac under the throat.
This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a
large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it
differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed
and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the
forehead.
PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3. - Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish
brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with
unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the
body whitish.
Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray.
PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2. - Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with
symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being
generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs
dark-banded, beneath white.
Inhab. Port Essington.
Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are
far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their
hinder edges.
Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following
species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated
have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before
referred to.
1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841.
2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725.
Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57.
III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of
cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives
UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in
the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times
from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it.
As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described
or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I
shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of
their more characteristic features.
The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly
resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger
than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the
figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of
the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian
species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS
AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two
inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said
not to be taken from a large specimen.
