| OCR Text |
Show 318 PROF. R. COLLETT ON MAMMALS [Mar. 16 open forest-land, extending to the very banks of the Adelaide River. The forests are mainly composed of various sorts of Eucalyptus, and are denser than any seen elsewhere in Arnhem Land. Numerous small watercourses intersect the plains, and are surrounded by jungles of bamboo-cane, large trees of Ficus, and, finally, a species of palm closely allied to Areca. In the next district, Daly River, one again meets with the same forest-land, and, on the whole, the same kind of trees; but the forests are more open, changing here and there into large plains, which in some places are covered with swamps and lagoons, surrounded by Melaleuca-trees, and in others assume a sandy desert-like appearance. Hermit Hill lies a little to the southward of Daly River, and on the whole possesses the same natural features. About 100 miles inland from the mouth of the Daly River the country consists of broken tableland; Mt. Showhrldge lies to the eastward of this and is of considerable height. Glencoe (or Fountain Head) has low woods and large open plains. Mary River, which flow's to the northward, rises partly in a peculiar granite formation, which extends up to the railway at Union Town, and partly from permanent springs in the great central tableland, whence Alligator River also flows northward, and whence Katherine River flows towards the south and west, subsequently joining the Daly River, and bounding Arnhem Land in the south. The great tableland is covered with large forests and permanent water-springs. In the neighbourhood of Victoria River the district consists of broken sandstone ranges, covered with Spinlfex grass and gum-trees. Roebuck Bay, North-west Australia (18° S. lat.), is desert-like country, covered with scrub and lakes. Fam. PTEROPODIDCB. 1. PTEROPUS SCAPULATUS, Peters, 1862. Pteropus scapulatus, Dobs. Cat. Chir. Brit. Mus. p. 41 (1878); Ogilby, Cat. Austral. Mamm. p. 80 (1892). N. Australia : Daly River, Aug. 17th, 1894 (one specimen). Skin. The coloration of the fur is as described in the immature specimens (P. elseyl, Gray, 1866); a paler reddish-brown collar round the neck, and no traces of white shoulder-tufts. The woolly hairs covering the lower surface of the forearm and adjacent parts of the wing-membrane are of a pale greyish-yellow colour. Length of forearm 138 mm. Skull.- Length of the skull (about) 59 mm. Breadth across zygomatic arches 35 „ Length of dental series 23 „ |
