﻿KANGAROOS AND WALLABIES. 4I 



which is most marked on the head and rump ; under-pai ts 

 yetlow, orange, or rufous, brightest posteriorly; ears very 

 short, ohve-grey behind, margined in front with black ; fre- 

 quently an indistinct stripe on the back of the neck, and some- 

 times an indistinct yellowish hip-stripe. Legs greyish-brown ; 

 feet brown; tail very short, only about two-and-a-half times 

 the length of the head, basally orange above, terminally grey- 

 ish-white beneath, elsewhere greyish-brown. Length of head 

 and body about 26 inches; of tail 14 inches. 



Distribution. — South-eastern Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, 

 and islands of Bass Straits. 



HaMts. — This is the common small Wallaby of Victoria and 

 Tasmania, where it is extremely abundant. According to 

 Gould's account, it is essentially gregarious, hundreds of in 

 dividuals generally inhabiting the same locality. It frequents 

 gullies and the denser and moister portions of the forest, 

 especially such as are covered with tall rank grass, through 

 which it makes a number of well-beaten tracks. From such 

 coverts this Wallaby but seldom emerges, never even appronch- 

 ing the outskirts of the forests, except at night. Consequently, 

 in spite of its abundance, it is but seldom seen by the ordinary 

 observer. It is easily taken by snares, placed in the form of a 

 noose in its runs, thousands of these Wallabies being annually 

 captured in this manner for the sake of their skins. It is likewise 

 highly esteemed in Tasmania on account of its flesh, which 

 is one of the best-flavoured among the Wallabies. 



XXin. SHORT-TAILED WALLABY. MACROPUS BRACHYURUS. 



Kangarus brachyurus, Quoy and Gaimard, Voyage Astrolabe, 



Zool., vol. i., p. 114 (1830). 

 Macropus brachyurus^ Lesson, Hist. Nat. Mamm., vol. v., p. 



378(1836); Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit Mus.,p. 60 (1888). 



