n.
True Rodents are represented inAustralia and Tasmania by six genera; viz., Mus, Conilurus (= Hapalotis), Xeromys, Hydromys,Mastacomys, Uromys, of which the five latterare confined to the Australian Region.
The genus Hydromys contains the Eastern WaterRat, sometimes called the Beaver Rat ( Hydromyschrysogaster, Geoffroy), and the Western Water Rat( H. fulvolavatus, Gould).
Conilurus contains the Jerboa Rats (q.v.).
Xeromys contains a single species, confined toQueensland, and called Thomas' Rat ( Xeromysmyoides, Thomas).
Mastacomys contains one species, the Broad-toothedRat ( M. fuscus, Thomas), found alive only inTasmania, and fossil in New South Wales.
Uromys contains two species, the Giant Rat( U. macropus, Gray), and the Buff-footed Rat( U. cervinipes, Gould).
Mus contains twenty-seven species, widely distributedover the Continent and Tasmania.
1851. `Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of VanDiemen's Land,' vol. i. p. 301:
«The Secretary read the following extracts from a letter of theRev. W. Colenso to Ronald C. Gunn, Esq., of Launceston, datedWaitangi, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand, 4th September, 1850: – – `I have procured two specimens of the ancient, and allbut quite extinct, New Zealand Rat, which until just now(and notwithstanding all my endeavours, backed, too, by largerewards) I never saw. It is without doubt a true Mus,smaller than our English black rat ( Mus Rattus), and notunlike it. This little animal once inhabited the plains and Fagus forests of New Zealand in countless thousands,and was both the common food and great delicacy of the natives – – and already it is all but quite classed among the things whichwere.»
1880. A. R. Wallace, `Island Life,' p. 445:
«The Maoris say that before Europeans came to their country aforest rat abounded, and was largely used for food . . .Several specimens have been caught . . . which have beendeclared by the natives to be the true Kiore Maori – – as theyterm it; but these have usually proved on examination to beeither the European black rat or some of the native Australianrats . . . but within the last few years many skulls of a rathave been obtained from the old Maori cooking-places and froma cave associated with moa bones, and Captain Hutton, who hasexamined them, states that they belong to a true Mus, butdiffer from the Mus rattus.»