ORDER MARSUPIALIA: MARSUPIALS 93 



items of evidence, however, would point to its being largely phytophagous, 

 or at least less rhizophagous than Bettongia, Potorous, and Aepyprymnus. . . . 

 Where Diprotodon failed [to survive], Caloprymnus may yet succeed, but 

 all the evidence of its physical structure is not more eloquent of changed 

 conditions [from relatively humid to an arid climate] than its pathetic 

 clinging to its flimsy grass nest, in a fiery land where a fossorial habit has 

 become the main factor in survival. 



The first specimen flushed by Finlay son's party was run down 

 with a relay of horses after a chase of 12 miles. Others were taken 

 in the same way, while a native captured two by hand after stealing 

 up to their grass nests. 



E. Le G. Troughton writes (in litt., April 16, 1937) : "The fact 

 that the otherwise defenceless animal is peculiarly suited to ex- 

 tremely barren and remote desert areas may ensure survival and 

 prevent exploitation as a rarity, but the spread of the fox, seen 

 personally near Marree in 1920, use as food by the blacks, and 

 variable seasons may continue range shrinkage to extinction." 



"Common" Hare-wallaby; Brown Hare-wallaby 



LAGORCHESTES LEPORIDES (Gould) 



Macropus Leporides Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1840, p. 93, 1841. ("In- 

 terior of Australia"; according to Thomas (1888, p. 84), the cotypes 

 are from the "interior of New South Wales.") 



FIGS.: Gould, 1841d, pi. 12; Qould, 1859, vol. 2, pi. 57; Royal Nat. Hist., 

 vol. 3, p. 246, fig, 1894-95. 



This species is "apparently doomed to extinction" in its last 

 stronghold in New South Wales (E. Le G. Troughton, in litt., April 

 16, 1937). 



It resembles the Common Hare of Europe in size and in texture 

 of fur; forelimbs very small; above variegated with black, brown, 

 and yellow; pale yellow on sides and about eyes; belly grayish 

 white; forelimbs black on upper part. Head and body, 495 mm.; 

 tail, 330 mm. (Gould, 1841a, pp. 93-94.) 



The former range included the interior of New South Wales and 

 Victoria, and the Murray River region of South Australia. 



Gould writes (1863, vol. 2, p. 67) : "I have but little doubt that 

 this animal enjoys a wide range over the interior of New South 

 Wales; it certainly inhabits the Liverpool Plains as well as those 

 in the neighbourhood of the Namoi and the Gwydyr, from all of 

 which localities I have received numerous examples." He adds: "I 

 usually found it solitary, and sitting close in a well-formed seat 

 under the shelter of a tuft of grass on the open plains." 



" According to Krefft, this species is common in the level country 

 between the Murray and Darling rivers" (Lydekker, 1894, p. 54). 



E. Le G. Troughton (in litt., April 16, 1937) considers it "now 



