THE WOMBAT. 



201 



and there, the visible portions being black or blackish, or pointed. These are relieved by the dark 

 and light-barred colour of the visible part of the shorter hairs, all the hairs being of a leaden-greyish 

 tint at the skin. The upper surface of the body has a close and stiff fur of rich golden colour, mixed 

 with black ; the head, face, and lower parts of the legs are dark brownish-grey ; and there are a few 

 patches of white along the centre of the throat and chest. The fur covers the tail for half an inch or 

 more, and then the rest is naked, and covered with a network of scales about three to a line in length. 

 The scales are black above, and a few minute and very short hairs project from the interstices of the 

 scales. The animal has a naked muffle and rounded ears. The hind foot is remarkable, for whilst 

 the skull and dentition of the creature would associate it more with the Kangaroo-Rats, the position 

 of the first toe (wanting in the Kangaroo- Rats) resembles somewhat that of the Phalangista group, or 

 the Phalangers, which will be noticed further on. The sole of the foot is long, and there is a nailless 

 projecting first toe, like a thumb ; next come the second and third toes small, united by skin, and 

 leaving the two cornbing-nails visible ; and then the largest, or fourth toe, is followed by a smaller 

 fifth. Sir R. Owen judged that this animal was an occasional climber of trees, but that its usual 

 locality was 011 the ground. Mr. Ramsay states that it lives in the Rockingham Bay district, and that 

 it frequents the dense and damp positions of the scrubs which fringe the rivers and clothe the sides 

 of the coast range. Its habits are diurnal, and its movements are graceful. It procures its food by 

 turning over the rubbish in search of insects, worms, and tuberous roots, frequently eating the 

 palm-berries, which it holds with its fore paws, after the manner of the Phalangers, sitting up on its 

 haunches, or sometimes digging. They have a pouch, and two young ones have been found in 

 it. Considering the importance of the great toe to the animal, and its linking together the climbing 

 and jumping Marsupials, Sir R. Owen acknowledged the necessity of recognising Mr. Ramsay's 

 name of Hypsiprymnodon moschatus, and of thus bringing in a new genus into a new family in the 

 Kangaroo series with two large front teeth in the lower jaw.* 



IT. THE WOMBAT FAMILY. THE PHASCOLOMYID^. 



THE WOMBAT, t 



On looking at a picture of a Wombat, the outside distinctions between it and all the Kangaroo 

 family may be seen at a glance, and an examination of its anatomy affords still greater evidence of 

 differences which, to a certain extent, relate to the fact that the animal now under consideration is a 

 burrower and gnawer. About two to three feet in length, the Wombat has only a small stump of a 



SKELETON OF THE WOMBAT. 



tail, a low body, small feet, and strong limbs, ending in broad extremities, well provided with claws. 

 It has moderately long and coarse fur of a grey-brown colour, and there is some white about the short 

 ears, and the feet are black. It is usually a plump animal, with a bare black muzzle, and feet naked 

 beneath, and covered with little tubercles of flesh. The claws are large, and those of the fore feet (five 



* Description by E. P. Ramsay, F.L.S., and communication from Sir R. Owen to Linnean Society, London. 

 t Phascolomys Wombat (Peron and Lesson). <jmo-/cuAos, a pouch, and ^vs, a mouse. 



