ORDER MARSUPIALIA: MARSUPIALS 105 



yellow; a brown blotch behind the elbow; a white patch on thigh 

 near knee; tail more or less annulated (Thomas, 1888, p. 65). Head 

 and body, 650-800 mm. ; tail, 600-650 mm. (Jones, 1924, p. 226) . 



This animal's former range included southern and eastern South 

 Australia and the interior of New South Wales. It has also been 

 reported from Victoria and western Queensland. 



Jones (1924, pp. 225-227) writes: 



P. xanthopus inhabits the rocky country from the Gawler Ranges to the 

 Flinders Ranges, and to the eastern boundary of the State [South Australia] 

 at Bimbowrie and Cockburn. . . . 



The Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby is still fairly abundant in certain parts 

 of South Australia, but from many of its old haunts it has completely dis- 

 appeared. It would seem that at the present time it is being driven mainly 

 to the north and east of the State, and that its last stronghold in South 

 Australia will be upon the New South Wales border. If it has not altogether 

 disappeared from the Gawler Ranges it must now be a very rare animal, 

 and in many parts of the Flinders Ranges its numbers are considerably 

 reduced. From the eastern portion of the State it will almost certainly 

 disappear before very many years are past, since its pelt is far too attractive 

 to permit it to survive as long as the fur trade exists. Although a totally 

 protected animal in this State, this protection is not extended to it by 

 certain of the States upon the borders of which it lives. It is therefore not 

 to be wondered at that pelts of the animal are disposed of in the markets of 

 States other than South Australia, even though the animal was obtained 

 within the geographical boundaries of our own State. 



Petrogale xanthopus is a fitting example of an animal which needs sanc- 

 tuary for its preservation and more stringent legislative efforts to check its 

 slaughter. 



Half a century ago Lydekker wrote (1894, p. 48) : "Some hun- 

 dreds of skins are annually imported to London from Adelaide, 

 their value ranging from one-and-fourpence each. The skins of the 

 common Rock- Wallaby [P. pencillata] are less valuable, averaging 

 from threepence to ninepence each, although they have been known 

 to reach as much as one-and-threepence." 



"The [Melbourne] museum has no Victorian record of this species 

 though its range has been extended to the State in literature" (C. W. 

 Brazenor, in litt., March 3, 1937) . 



A. S. Le Souef writes (in litt., February 15, 1937) that it is "very 

 scarce, probably nearing extinction owing to settlement and the fox." 



"It provides an example of the need for unified control over State 

 protection, as pelts are sold in other States though the beautiful and 

 harmless marsupial is totally protected in South Australia. Such 

 action may cause extermination as the animal is being driven north- 

 east, and the hope of survival may rest with the sub-species de- 

 scribed from south-western Queensland." (E. Le G. Troughton, in 

 litt., April 16, 1937.) 



[Petrogale celeris Le Souef, described from the vicinity of Ada- 

 vale, Bulloo River, southwestern Queensland, is regarded by Iredale 



