WALLABIES OF VICTORIA 69 



If not the commonest, the most important on account 

 of its size, of the rock-wallabies is Petrogale xajithopus^ and 

 it is unique among the wallabies in having a ringed tail, 

 alternately marked with huffish colour and dark brown. 

 The whole animal is conspicuously marked with brown, 

 grey, black, and buff. This wallaby is from 2\ to 3 feet 

 long, and the tail is 20 inches in length. It is a graceful 

 and active animal, and is generally found in herds of about 

 ninety in number. 



In the plains to the north of the range the hare- wallaby 

 {Lagorchester leporoides) is the commonest species. It is 

 from 1 8 to 20 inches long, and is also a pretty and graceful 

 little animal, with great leaping powers. It probably clears 

 a space of at least twenty feet at a bound when flying from 

 dingoes or dogs; but it is impossible to make accurate 

 measurements under ordinary circumstances. The colour 

 of this wallaby is a sandy-red, which, in some districts, 

 renders it almost invisible at a short distance. It lies very 

 close in the scrub; but when it is once started it leaps 

 across the plain in a straight line, and at a pace that 

 prevents any but the best dogs from overtaking it. The 

 female will stick to her young one until all chance of escape 

 is lost. Then, if it is heavy, she will take it from her 

 pouch, I think rather with a view of urging it to escape 

 than from a desire to abandon it, and save herself. The 

 wallabies, unlike the larger kangaroos, never attempt to 

 defend themselves ; but an incident that occurred while I 

 was exploring this district led me to think that one species 

 at least seemed to be provided with a special organ of 

 defence. 



Many of the squatters, though ignorant enough of 

 science themselves, were quite in sympathy with my taste 

 for investigating the marvels of animated nature, and often 

 drew my attention to matters of interest that they had noted 

 among the wild creatures which surrounded their dwellings, 

 and from them I gleaned items of valuable information. 



One of these gentlemen sent for me to look at a curious 

 wallaby which had been sent to him from North Queens- 

 land. I soon recognised this little animal as the spur-tailed 



