104 EXTINCT AND VANISHING MAMMALS 



"For all their agility . . . the rock-wallabies fall victims to very 

 sluggish enemies, for invariably the wallaby rocks are inhabited by 

 large carpet-snakes (Python varius) , which generally lie in wait 

 for their victims in the caves in which they take shelter" (Le Souef 

 and Burrell, 1926, p. 202). 



Barry (1928, p. 163) reports a few in Kuringai Chase, near 

 Sydney, where, "despite protective laws, shooters, foxes and hounds 

 leave little chance of survival." 



"The species should survive in the more rugged or inaccessible 

 parts of the Great Dividing Range in N. S. W., especially in some 

 of the sanctuaries recently declared, provided such are controlled, 

 and the public informed of dangers to survival of rarities, etc." 

 (E. Le G. Troughton, in litt., April 16, 1937) . 



In Victoria it never occurred in great numbers and is now prob- 

 ably extinct. The last record was in 1905. (C. W. Brazenor, in litt., 

 March 3, 1937.) 



The species has been acclimatized on Kawau Island, New Zealand, 

 where it was introduced about 1870 and now exhibits some alteration 

 of coloration (Le Souef, 1930, p. 111). 



[Petrogale herberti Thomas is treated as a subspecies of P. 'in- 

 ornata by Iredale and Troughton (1934, p. 43), who give its range 

 as "South Queensland (about 23 to 26 S. lat.)." However, it is 

 regarded as a subspecies of P. pencillata by Finlayson (1931, p. 82) , 

 who writes of its status in the Dawson Valley: "Still . . . very 

 numerous and widely distributed. It is to be found in thriving 

 colonies in almost every range of hills away from the large towns."] 



Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby; Bar-tailed Rock- wallaby 



PETROGALE XANTHOPUS XANTHOPUS J. E. Gray 



Petrogale xanthopus J. E. Gray, Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1854, p. 249, pi. 39 

 (Mammalia), 1855. ("Australia (Richmond River?)"; this is an erroneous 

 type locality, for Thomas (1888, p. 66) lists the cotypes from "Flinder's 

 Range, S. A.") 



FIGS.: Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1854, pi. 39 (Mammalia); Gould, 1855, vol. 2, 

 pis. 43, 44; Royal Nat. Hist., vol. 3, p. 245, fig., 1894-95; Lucas and Le 

 Souef, 1909, p. 81, fig.; Le Souef and Burrell, 1926, fig. 46. 



This largest and most striking of the Rock-wallabies has disap- 

 peared from many parts of its range in southern and eastern Aus- 

 tralia and is in urgent need of protection to prevent its extermination. 



"Pale brown, minutely grizzled; chin and beneath white; streak 

 on side from back of shoulder, and along the side of the face under 

 the eye, whitish; dorsal streak narrow, brown; legs, feet, and tail 

 bright yellow; end of tail more bushy and varied with brown" (J. E. 

 Gray, 1855, p. 249). Fur long, soft, and silky; back of ears dark 



