THE TRUE KANGAROOS AND WALLABIES 1423 



inches, and the tail about four inches less. The general color of the long and soft 

 fur is bright rusty red on the upper parts, more or less penciled with white; while 

 the under parts are dirty white, and the ears black. 



Although the different groups of rat kangaroos vary to a certain 

 extent in habits, the whole of them agree in being nocturnal, and in 

 feeding not only on leaves, grass, etc. , but likewise on roots and bulbs, which are 

 grubbed up with the fore-paws. They generally frequent scrub jungle, and get up 

 before the sportsman after the manner of rabbits. Usually but a single young is 

 produced at a birth; and, as appears to be the case with all Marsupials, there is not 

 more than one birth during the year. In accordance with the reduced size of their 

 hind-feet, the leaping powers of the common rat kangaroo are less developed than 

 those of the other genera. It is stated, indeed, that although these species habitu- 

 ally stand on their hind-limbs alone, when running they employ both pairs of limbs 

 in a kind of gallop. Moreover, they never kick out with their hind-legs after the 

 manner of kangaroos and wallabies. The brush-tailed rat kangaroo and its kindred 

 employ their prehensile tails in carrying grass and other substances for the construc- 

 tion of their nests; the extremity of the tail being curled downward below the 

 bundle. The nest, according to Mr. Gould, is made in a hollow specially dug in the 

 ground for its reception; and as its upper surface thus becomes level with the herb- 

 age, only the practiced eyes of the blacks are able to detect its presence. During 

 the day either one or two of these animals occupy a nest, in which they completely 

 conceal themselves by dragging herbage over the entrance. Here they remain till 

 evening, when they sally forth in quest of food. The rufous rat kangaroo may 

 either form a somewhat similar nest beneath a fallen tree trunk, or under the shelter 

 of some low bush, or may repose during the day in a seat among the herbage like 

 the "form " of a hare. On being pursued, this species runs for a short distance with 

 great speed, but as it always takes shelter in hollow trunks it falls a prey to the 

 blacks, by whom it is relished as food. 



The rat-like little animal, scientifically known as Hypsiprymnodon 

 Kan o moschatus, and which may be termed in popular language the five-toed 

 kangaroo, is one of those connecting links so interesting to the evolu- 

 tionist, but so extremely inconvenient to the systematic zoologist. This creature 

 stands, indeed, almost exactly midway between the common rat kangaroo and the 

 phalangers, to be immediately mentioned; although the kangaroo-like structure of 

 its lower jaw has led to its being placed in the present family. 



The five-toed kangaroo is confined to Queensland, and is very nearly the size 

 of a large rat, to which it also presents a general external resemblance. The body 

 is clothed with close, crisp, velvety fur, of a grizzled, rusty, orange-gray color; the 

 orange tinge being strongest on the back, and almost disappearing on the lighter 

 under parts. The head is sharply pointed, with rather large and nearly naked ears, 

 and the tapering, cylindrical, black tail is likewise naked, and also scaly. The rela- 

 tive proportions of the fore and hind-limbs are not far removed from the ordinary 

 Mammalian type. The fore-paws are small, with five toes, each provided with a 

 delicate claw; and the hind-feet differ from those of all the other members of the 

 family in having a first or "great" toe, in addition to the usual four. This first toe 



