[Proc. Roy. Soc. Victoria, 22 (N.S.), Pt. II., 1909] 



Art. XXII. — Notes on the Wombat, Phascolomys 

 ursimts, Shaiv, from Flinders Island. 



By J. A. KERSHAW, F.E.S. 



Curator of the Zoological Collections, National Museum, Melbourne. 



(With Plate LXI.). 



[Read 9th December, 1909]. 



During the latter part of the 18th century, Wombats were 

 known to exist plentifully on many of the islands in Bass Strait. 



The earliest recorded example of the genus was that captured 

 on Clarke Island in 1797, during an expedition sent from 

 Sydney, New South Wales, to rescue the crew of the Sydney 

 Cove, wrecked between Preservation and Rum Islands, off the 

 south-west coast of Flinders Island. This was brought back to 

 New South Wales, where it lived in captivity for six weeks, its 

 body being sent to England during the same year by Hunter, 

 then Governor of New South Wales. 



Although there is every reason to believe that the mainland 

 species {Phascolotnys mitchelli, Owen) was well known to the 

 early settlers prior to the discovery of the island species, it is 

 strange that no specimens appear to have been sent from New 

 South Wales, at any rate, until many years later. 



Flinders was evidently acquainted with the New South Wales 

 species prior to the discovery of the island form, for, in referring 

 to that found on Clarke Island, he says^ " The little bear-like 

 quadruped is known in New South Wales, and called by the 

 natives Womat, Wombat, or Wombach." 



In addition to Clarke Island, this animal occurred plentifully 

 on Cape Barren and the Furneaux Islands on the eastern side, 

 and King Island on the western side of the Strait, and was 



1 Flinders. Voyage to Terra Australia, 1814, vol. i., Introduction, p. cxxxv. 



