﻿26 ALLEN'S naturalist's LIBRARY. 



from the white "whisker-mark"; while the rufous of the 

 lower back is richer and brighter, and the tail generally tipped 

 with white. 



Habits.— This Wallaby, like the other species of the group, is 

 found in small parties in thick scrub-jungle, and hence it and 

 its kindred are frequently spoken of as Brush- Kangaroos. 

 They generally keep either deep in the scrub itself or at its 

 edges, where they can be easily shot in the open runs. Gould 

 says : " This well-marked species inhabits, with but few ex- 

 ceptions, all the thick bushes of New South Wales, especially 

 such as are wet or humid. I hunted it successfully at Illa- 

 warra, on the small islands at the mouth of the Hunter, and on 

 the Liverpool ranges. In the former localities it was frequently 

 found in the wettest places, either among the high grass, and 

 other dense vegetation, or among the thick mangroves, whose 

 roots are washed by each succeeding tide. The islands at the 

 mouth of the Hunter, particularly Mosquito and Ash Islands, 

 are not unfrequently flooded to a great extent; yet it leaps 

 through the shallow parts with apparent enjoyment, and even 

 crosses the river from one island to another." Enormous 

 numbers of this Wallaby are killed for the sake of their skins, 

 which are extensively used in Canada for coats, while the 

 larger ones are manufactured into leather. The number of 

 skins annually imported into England ranges from about 

 10,000 to 20,000 ; the value of each skin usually varying from 

 sixpence to one-and-ninepence, although over three shillings 

 has been obtained. An even larger number of skins of the 

 Red-necked Wallaby are sold in London, although their value 

 is less than those of the present species. 



VIII. RED-NECKED WALLABY. MACROPUS RUFICOLLIS. 



Kangurus riificollis^ Desmarest, Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., 

 vol. xvii., p. 37 (181 7). 



