72 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



The slight information available concerning the species in South 

 Australia is summarized by Jones (1924, p. 187) : 



At one time the Koala was without doubt an inhabitant of South Australia, 

 and many men now living can remember the time when it was by no means 

 uncommon in certain districts of the South-eastern portion of the State. No 

 more than ten years ago Koalas have been killed well within the geographical 

 limits of South Australia. If it inhabits South Australia to-day is rather 

 doubtful, although reliable information would point to the fact that a 

 remnant of the stock may still linger not far from the Victorian border. So 

 far as I know no example of the South Australian race has been examined 

 scientifically, and no specimens seem to have been preserved. Victorian 

 animals were liberated on Flinders Chase, Kangaroo Island, in November, 

 1923, and it is hoped that they will become established in that faunal 

 sanctuary. 



The Koala is completely protected by law in Victoria. 



Family VOMB ATID AE : Wombats 



The two currently recognized genera of wombats, represented by 

 six forms, are confined to eastern and southern Australia, Tasmania, 

 and islands of Bass Strait. Four subspecies are treated here. 



Island Wombat; Flinders Island Wombat 



VOMBATUS URSINUS URSINUS (Shaw) 



Didelphis Ursina Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 504, 1800. (Presumed by 

 Spencer and Kershaw (19106, p. 39) to be based upon the "Wombach" of 

 Hunter, in Bewick, Hist. Quadrupeds, ed. 4, p. 522, 1800. Type locality 

 "New Holland" = Clarke Island, Bass Strait, according to Spencer and 

 Kershaw (19106, pp. 37-39) ; but Cape Barren Island, Bass Strait, accord- 

 ing to Iredale and Troughton (1934, p. 34).) 



FIGS.: Peron and Freycinet, Voyage Terres Australes, atlas, ed. 1, pi. 28, 

 1811, and ed. 2, pi. 58, 1824; Cabrera, 1919, pi. 17, fig. 1. 



Formerly an inhabitant of several of the larger islands of Bass 

 Strait, this Wombat has been exterminated on all of them except 

 perhaps Flinders Island. It is also represented by a small colony 

 introduced at Eddy stone Point, Tasmania. 



This is the smallest of the Wombats; hair coarse, varying from 

 light sandy brown to blackish; rhinarium naked. Head and body, 

 775 mm. Weight, 25-30 pounds (Spencer and Kershaw, 1910a, p. 29) . 



This species was originally known from King, Deal, Cape Barren, 

 Clarke, and Flinders Islands in Bass Strait. At the time of its 

 discovery, about 1798, its numbers were evidently considerable. 

 Flinders (1814, vol. 1, p. cxxxv) found it more numerous on Cape 

 Barren Island than on Clarke Island; he reports it as "commonly 

 seen foraging amongst the sea refuse on the shore." 



Home (1808, p. 304) gives an entertaining description of an 



