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 represent 

 the most important group with regard to their 

 larger size and economic utility, number some 

 fourteen or fifteen species, and are distinguished, 

 -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. handsomest 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 interblended. A very fine example of 

 this wallaby was included in the valuable collec- 

 tion of animals, formerly at Windsor, recently 

 presented to the Zoological Society by His Majesty 

 King Edward, and is now on view at the Regent's 

 Park. 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 localities 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 single 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 ex- 

 amples 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 pleas- 

 ing 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 settlers' gardens, and, being to a large extent 



45 



Photo by D. Le Souef] 



[Melbourne. 



TREE-KANGAROOS. 



Examples acclimatised in the Melbourne Zoological 

 Gardens. 



