64 Zoological Society :— 
bable cause of the death of this bird, and I send you the following 
remarks, considering they may be of some service to those desirous 
of domesticating them. This bird was reared from the egg hatched 
under a common hen, and has survived nearly four years and a half 
domesticated in daily amicable intercourse with ducks, geese, and all 
kinds of poultry, and always appearing playful and happy in their 
society. But it unfortunately happened that, when sent to me, I was 
not aware of its aversion to a solitary life. When alone in the yard 
I noticed that it did not eat. Fearing that 1t had not its usual food, 
I made inquiry, but found that it had its accustomed food. Still, 
however, it moped, and more frequently than usual made its peculiar 
clanging noise ; and although it would walk about the yard, yet it 
more frequently mounted the high flight of stone steps and squatted 
upon the lofty wall, remaining there for the most part of the day. 
Although it did not feed well, yet it would often wash itself in a tub 
of water placed for its use, and drank a good deal of water. At last 
it became ragged in plumage, the wings drooped, and it died after 
having been in my possession only from the 28th of February to the 
25th of March. On mentioning the circumstance to a relation of 
the donor, I was then informed, but too late, that if kept by itself it 
would droop and refuse food, but when placed among other fowls 
became lively, playful, and fed well. I fear that many birds and 
other animals perish in our menageries by inattention to these ap- 
parently trivial circumstances, which are, however, most essential to 
their successful rearing and preservation. I have been informed, by 
those who have eaten of these birds in the southern parts of Australia, 
that they are usually thin, and the flesh coarse and not well-fla- 
voured.”” 
Notrs ON THE BROAD-FRONTED WomBat or SoutH AUSTRALIA 
(PHASCOLOMYs LATIFRONS, Owen). By Grorcre Frencu 
AnGAs, CORRESPONDING MEMBER OF THE ZOOLOGICAL 
Society oF LONDON, ETC. 
The existence of a second species of Phascolomys on the Australian 
continent was established some years ago by Professor Owen, from a 
skull sent to England from South Australia, and named by him 
Phascolomys latifrons (see ‘ Proceedings of the Zoological Society’ 
for 1845). 
Mr. G. R. Waterhouse, in his excellent work on the Marsupiata, 
says, ‘‘Of the Broad-fronted Wombat, all that is known is a skull 
sent from South Australia to Professor Owen. This skull presents 
so many marked differences when compared with that of the Phasco- 
lomys Wombat, that no doubt can be entertained of the existence of 
two distinct species of Wombats.” 
I have lately had the opportunity of examining a full-grown male 
example of the Broad-fronted Wombat, now living in the Botanical 
Gardens in Adelaide, and of comparing it with two adult specimens 
(male and female) of the Tasmanian Wombat, which, fortunately 
enough, were being exhibited at the time in Adelaide. The differ- 
