22/47 SPECIES A.M.N.H. NO. 153413 SP. 15. MAMMALS DICKAREE WATERHOLE - 10 miles N.E of BIRDSVILLE - S.W. QUEENSLAND East margin of Dempson Desert AUSTRALIAN SECTION COLLECTOR: L. MACMILLAN. COLL. NO. SPIRIT SP. 15. DATE 31st MAY 1940 SPECIES SEX ♀ (?) SHOT 8. P.M. STM. FAT-TAILED MOUSE TOTAL:- 145 mm. TAIL:- 63.5 mm. H.F.C.U:- 18 mm. H.E.A.C:- 18 mm. CONDITION GONADS. WGT. 15.4 gm. SKL. Body entire in spirit. Captured by shooting. Is in large glass jar with tag No. 12 (in with the Brumby tailed W.Bats) 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. 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. TAIL R. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. L. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10. BODY ABR. UPPERS-RUMP UNDERS-VENT. LOWER BACK FLANKS UPPER BACK BELLY NAPE BREAST CROWN NECK CHEEKS CHIN W. T. W./T. Up COVS. Und. COVS. Up COVS. Und. COVS. Up COVS. Un COVS. SKULL REMARKS Put in Spirit as it is the First Specimen of the Species Captured to Date. This specimen was shot by flashlight on a dark moonless night (moonrise 2 A.M.) in green herbage, 18" high, which had sprung up on flats alongside the waterhole after the water from the flooded Diamantina River had receded. (No rain fell locally, inches fell up towards the Gulf country + head waters of the D. but the river at Birdsville was 14 miles wide, + more across all its channels + flats.) This herbage is called locally Castor Oil plant; because of its smell when crushed (+ its white trumpet like flowers, spiny seed pod,) + the seeds appear to be a great source of food to many species of the local small mammals such as rats + mice. This specimen did not seem one atom alarmed + set up cleaning its face in the flashlight beam, making no attempt to escape even on close approach, nor did slight noises made during approaching seem to worry it much. It seemed more curious than frightened at the brilliance about it + considered it an good chance for a clean up while the light was good. (Though it is a ♀ no mirror or powder puff was noted but it seemed to do as well in that line as paws would allow.) It remained in the beam for fully 5 minutes without alarm. S. & MCD. PTY. LTD., MELB., NO. 4764.