Flinders Island Wombat 333 



very poor condition, and although taking its food readily, it did 

 not thrive, and unfortunately died on 15th February. It was a 

 particularly tame and gentle creature and could be handled with 

 impunity. 



In habits these animals remind one of the Rodents, their 

 manner of feeding and quick side-to-side movement of the jaws 

 being very similar. They are very quick in their movements 

 when excited or alarmed, and run with greater speed than one 

 would expect from such an apparently awkward animal. When 

 touched, especially near the hind quarters, they have a peculiar 

 habit of kicking violently backward with both hind feet. This, 

 it was noticed, occurred even when approached by its companion. 

 If annoyed, they do not hesitate to use both teeth and claws. 



A peculiarity not before noticed is their habit of using the 

 fore feet for grasping, closing the claws on to the roughened 

 under-surface of the paw to such an extent that small objects 

 such as grass leaves can easily be seized. When feeding they 

 repeatedly grasp and wrench off with one of the paws pieces of 

 grass stems protruding from the mouth, or separate the clumps 

 of long grass in order to obtain some specially-desired portion. 

 They are particularly partial to the fresh green seed stems, and 

 invariably select these first. 



In confinement these specimens drank very little water, even 

 in the hottest weather, and only once vvas one of them actually 

 seen in the act. They spent most of the day sleeping, partly 

 buried in their bedding, but would take feed at any time. 



The first specimen received is evidently full-grown and in 

 excellent condition. Compared with the Tasmanian species 

 {Phascolomys tasmanietisisf it appears somewhat smaller. The 

 hair is fairly soft to the touch, not coarse as in P. itiitchelli, nor 

 so silky as P. latijrons. Colour grizzled-grey, slightly darker on 

 the hfnd quarters, lighter on head and neck. Underside of jaws, 

 neck and body, inner side of limbs, and interior of ears, dirty 

 white. Underfur fairly abundant, particularly on the neck, 

 shoulders and sides, varying in colour from brown on the back to 

 dark greyish on the sides. Eyes dark reddish-brown. 



1 Memoirs of Nat. Museum, No. 3, Feb., 1910, p. 57. 



