Page:The mammals of Australia Gould vol 3.djvu/189

 SCOTOPHILUS GREYI, Gray.

Grey's Scotophilus.

Scotophilus Greyii, Gray, List. of Mamm. in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 30.—Ib. Zool. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror, pi. 20, fig. 2.

diminutive species was named by Dr. Gray in his "List of the Specimens of Mammalia in the Collection of the British Museum," and was also figured, as above stated, in the "Voyage of the Erebus and Terror." It is said to be a very rare species, and not to have been hitherto found in any other part of Australia than Port Essington. Dr. Gray has given it the above appellation in honour of Sir George Grey, the present Governor of the Cape of Good Hope, to whom such a tribute is justly due for his devotion to the natural sciences generally: from his enlightened views much good has already accrued to every community over which Sir George has had influence, and, as a traveller, he must be considered one of the most intrepid of England's sons.

The fur of this little animal is of a light reddish brown, somewhat paler on the under than on the upper surface; the nose is reddish flesh colour, and the wing-membranes of the usual purplish brown, as seen in other members of the genus.

The figures are of the natural size.