MARSUPIALS AND MONOTREMES 



353 





Of smaller members of the Kangaroo Family, 

 there are some thirty distinct forms, popularly 

 known in Australia as WALLABIES, WALLAROOS, 

 PADDY-MELONS, POTOROOS, KANGAROO-HARES, 

 KANGAROO-RATS, etc. The wallabies, which rep- 

 resent the most important group with regard 

 to their larger size and economic utility, number 

 some fourteen or fifteen species, and are distin- 

 guished, with relation more especially to their 

 habitats or peculiar structure, as ROCK-, BRUSH- 

 TAIL, and SPUR-TAIL WALLABIES, etc. Among 

 the rock-wallabies the yellow footed species from 

 South Australia is undoubtedly one of the hand- 

 somest as well as the largest member of its 

 group, the uniform grey characteristic of the 

 majority of its members being in this instance 

 represented by an elegantly striped and banded 

 form, in which the several tints of brown, 

 yellow, black, and white are pleasingly in- 

 terblended. The successful stalking of rock- 

 wallabies in their native fastnesses entails no 

 mean amount of patience and agility. Although 

 these animals are so abundant in favoured locali- 

 ties as to make hard-beaten tracks to and fro 

 betwixt their rock-dwellings and their pasture- 

 grounds, one may traverse the country in broad 

 daylight without catching a glimpse of a sin- 

 gle individual. One species, about the size of 

 a large rabbit, is very plentiful among the 

 rocky bastion-like hills that border the Ord 

 River, which flows into Cambridge Gulf, in 

 Western Australia. Efforts to stalk examples 

 in broad daylight proved fruitless; but by 

 sallying out a little before daybreak, so as 

 to arrive at their feeding-grounds while the 

 light was still dim, the writer succeeded in 

 securing several specimens. Many of these 

 rock-wallabies are notable for the length, fine 

 texture, and pleasing tints of their fur, their 

 skins on such account being highly esteemed 

 for the composition of carriage-rugs and other 

 furry articles. 



Of the larger brush or scrub varieties, the 

 species known as the BLACK WALLABY is the 



most familiar form. It is particularly abundant in the Southern Australian States, and also 

 in Tasmania. Its flesh is excellent eating, and, dressed and served up in the orthodox 

 manner of jugged hare, can scarcely be distinguished from that toothsome dish. Some 

 of the smaller species, such as the hare- and rat- kangaroos or potoroos, are, as their 

 names denote, of no larger dimensions than the familiar rodents from which they are 

 popularly named. Several of these smaller species, including notably the potoroo, or 

 kangaroo-rat of New South Wales, are addicted to paying marked attention to the set- 

 tlers' gardens, and, being to a large extent root-feeders, have acquired a special predi 

 45 



fhltt it D. Ll \..-,f '] \_Mitkeurni 



TREE-KANGAROOS 



Examples acclimatised in the Melbourne Zoological 

 Gardens 



