36 INTROnUCTION. 



regular season for breeding, for all the females had young ones 

 in the pouch, of very small size and quite naked ; and none 

 were seen or killed less than a year old, at which age their 

 weight is about 5 lbs. 



"The Halmaturus Houtmanni inhabits the dense scrub 

 growing on almost every part of the two islands above men- 

 tioned ; and its runs cross and recross almost every inch of 

 them — even the sandy beaches close to the water's edge, and 

 among the thick scrub and Mutton-bird holes ; in these nms 

 there are little sheltered spots, beneath which they lie during 

 the lieat of the midday sun, feeding for the most part during 

 the night. On the approach of man it does not bound off at 

 full speed as other Kangaroos do, but very leisurely takes two 

 or three leaps, and then remaining stationary in an erect 

 position, looks around with evident surprise, and is then easily 

 «liot. In fact, from having been so little disturbed, it will 

 allow itself to be run down and caught. I was enabled to 

 catch two in this way. Four or five of my men being on 

 shore, I directed them to surround a bush into which I saw 

 one of these Wallabies run, when the animal, seeing itself 

 approached on all sides, became so bewiklered that, instead 

 of attempting to escape, it thrust its head into the thick 

 scrub and allowed us to catch it by the tail. 



" One I have alive has a habit of frequently crouching 

 down like a Ilarc, with its tail brought forward between and 

 before its fore feet." 



Adult Male. Face dark grizzled grey, stained with rufous 

 on the forehead ; external surface of the ear and the space 

 bctiveen the ears dark blackish grey; sides of the neck, 

 shoiddcrs, fore arms, flanks, and hind legs rufous, palest on 

 tlie flanks ; a line of obscure blackish brown passes down the 

 back of the neck and spreads into the dark grizzled brown of 

 the back; throat and chest bufly white; under surface of the 

 body grey; tail grizzled grey, deepening into black on the 

 upper side and the extremity. Fur somewhat short, coarse, 



