﻿THE WOMBATS. I 25 



and their characters n:iay be taken as identical with those of 

 the family. 



I. COMMON WOMBAT. PHASCOI.OMYS MITCHELLI. 



Phascoio7nys mikhelii, Owen, in Mitchell's Exped. Australia, 

 vol. ii., p. 362 (1838); Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., 

 p. 213 (1888). 



Phascolomys platyrhinus, Owen, Cat. Osteol. Mus. R. Coll. 

 Surg., vol. i., p. 334 (1853). 



Characters.— Size large ; naked portion of muzzle large ; 

 fur coarse, harsh, and rough. Colour either yellow, grizzled 

 yellow and black, or black. Ears short rounded, and fully 

 haired. Fifteen pairs of ribs. Length of head and body about 

 44 inches. 



Distribution. —New South Wales, Victoria, and South Aus- 

 tralia. 



Varying considerably in coloration, but apparently only 

 individually, and not according to geographical distribution, 

 this species is noteworthy as having been originally described 

 on the evidence of fossil remains from the superficial deposits 

 of Australia. Many years, however, elapsed before the so-called 

 Phascolomys platyrhinus was ascertained to be inseparable from 

 the fossil form. Its habits may be considered in connection 

 with those of the next species. 



II. TASMANIAN WOMBAT. PHASCOLOMYS URSINUS. 



DidelpJiis ursina, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. i., pt. ii., p. cro4 



(1800). 

 Wombatus fossor, Desmarest, Nouv. Diet d'Hist. Nat., vol. 



xxiv., p. 20 (1803). 



