10/47 SPECIES A.M.N.H. NO. 153483 MAMMAL DEPT. AUSTRALIAN SECTION COLLECTOR: L. MACMILLAN. DICKAREE WATER-HOLE - 10 miles S. of BIRDSVILLE, S.W. Queensland East Margin of Simpson Desert COLL. NO. M. 6. DATE 28TH MAY 1940. SPECIES. Redish field mouse. SEX SHOT Dug out of burrow. 2:30 P.M. CONDITION GONADS. WGT. 15.3 gm. SKT. STM. 1/2, seeds, roots ?, grass. Tail broken while shinning (L.J. Vale) Captured by digging out burrow. TOTAL TAIL H.F.C.U. H.E.A.C. 159.5mm. 80mm. 18.5mm. 9mm. MOULT WING R. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25. Sec. L. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19,20,21,22,23,24,25. Sec. UP COVS. UND. COVS. UP COVS. UND. COVS. TAIL R. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. L. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. UP COVS. UN COVS. BODY UPPERS-RUMP UNDERS-VENT. LOWER BACK FLANKS UPPER BACK BELLY NAPE BREAST CROWN NECK CHEEKS CHIN ABR. W. T. W/T. SKULL marked. M. 6. REMARKS Luis black, nose + pads pink flesh. This species lives in large parent warrens with small outer burrows which are generally not extensive. They burrow in the parent burrows to considerable depth (2ft 6") but generally speaking do not go for below 12". In the outer burrows 3-6" is the general depth + shortly 3". The burrow is seldom more than 1/2 - 3/4 of an inch in diameter except where larger nesting chambers are present or where numbers of chambers lead off from one central hall. They feed on a small onion root bulb which is abundant in the soil though it does not show on the surface except where flood waters on flats or rain on sandhills + flats causes it to sprout. They also feed on the seed of the sandhill cane grass. They seem to be fairly abundant in this area though hard to trap or dig out. One never sees them even with flash lamps at night. Tracks on the sand hills show them to be numerous. S & MCD. PTY. LTD., MELB., NO. 4764. Rod 82.