﻿64 Allen's naturalists library. 



molar tooth of considerable length, with from two to four 

 shallow vertical grooves. 



The Rat-Kangaroos of this genus, as indicated by the small 

 size of their hind feet, are less saltatorial in their habits than 

 the members of the other genera of the Sub-family, and there 

 fore depart more widely from the Wallabies. According to 

 Gould, although these Rat-Kangaroos stand as much on their 

 hind legs as do the other members of the Sub-family, they run 

 in a totally different way, using both fore and hind legs in a 

 kind of gallop, and never attempting to kick with the hind feet. 

 Externally the three species of the genus are very similar, while 

 they present a considerable degree of variation in the structure 

 of their skulls. 



I. BROAD-FACED RAT-KANGAROO. POTOROUS PLATYOPS. 



Hypsipry7?inus platyops^ Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1844, p. 103. 

 Potorous plafyops, Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 121 

 (1888). 



Characters. — Size very small ; naked portion of nose not ex- 

 tending backwards along the top of the muzzle; face very 

 short and broad ; fur long, coarse, and straight ; hind feet very 

 short, long-haired. General colour dark grizzled greyish- 

 brown ; under-parts white or greyish-white ; back of ears dark 

 brown ; tail black above, dirty white beneath. Length of 

 head and body about 14 inches ; of tail 8 inches. 



Distribution. — West Australia. 



II. GILBERT S RAT-KANGAROO. POTOROUS GILBERTI. 



Hypsiprymnus gilberti^ Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1841, p. 14. 

 Hypsiprymnus micropus, Waterhouse, in Jardine's Naturalist's 



Library Mamm. vol. xi., p. 180 (1841). 

 Potorous gilberti^ Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 120 



(1888). 



