818 MR. G, C. SUOUTUIDGE ON GEOGRAPHICAL DI8T1UBUTI0X [Nov. 23, 



While on the island duiing a very ilry season, I noticed that 

 both this species and Lagorchestes -were thin and apparently in a 

 veiy vnihealthy condition, while numbers were lying about dead. 

 It may be noted that sheep had been temporarily inti-oduced 

 there, wliile in the south of Dii-k Hartog thei-e is a large sheep 

 station, and the wallabies are said to ha^'e entirely left that end 

 of the island. 



14 specimens collected. Bernier Island. 



Lagostrophus fasciatus albipilis Gld. (Text-fig. 255, p. 817.) 



Existing in a few isolated localities to the east of Pinjelly and 

 Wagin, and according to natives the Pellinup and Salt River 

 districts in the neighbourhood of the Stirliuir raujjfes. 



Plentiful enough in the restricted areas in which they occur, 

 fi'ecpienting thick piickly scrub. 



22 specimens collected, Pinjelly (Woyaline Wells), 



' Merrnine ' or ' Munning ' of natives (S. W.). 



Up to quite recently — within the last twenty-five or thirty 

 years — from abundant evidence many of the Western Australian 

 mammals had a much wider i-ange than at the present time, 

 their disappearance, which is said to have been first noticed 

 about 1880, being most sudden and unaccountable. Their former 

 existence is still remembered both by natives and old colonists 

 around Port Hedland, Cossack, Carnarvon, Peak Hill, Laverton, 

 Eucla, and many other widely separated localities. The following, 

 and other less easily recognised species, are said to have been 

 very abundant throughout the Western, South-Eastei-n, and 

 Central districts : — Lagostrojy/ius fasciatus, Lagorchestes hirsiUus, 

 Bettongia, lesueuri, and Trichoshrus vvlqyecida (whei-ever trees 

 occurred). To which might be added most of the other mammals 

 common to South Australia. 



The above areas are now, with a few exceptions, entirely devoid 

 of indigenous mammals. This is said partly to account for the 

 Avay in which the natives have been disapjrtearing from the 

 Western and Centi-al distidcts of late yeai's. 



In the North-West even the Red Kangaroos were said to have 

 deci'eased considerably, although they have since been recovering 

 in numbers : while a few Wallabies are said to still exist to the 

 north of the Ashbui'ton River. 



Lagostrojyhus fasciatus was recorded from South Australia many 

 years ago by Gould, and although unknown there now, it might 

 easily have extended into that region. 



The entire disappearance of so many species, over such large 

 tracts of country, is generally considered to be due to some 

 epidemic or disease, which I have been told apjjeared to be a kind 

 of marasmus, perhaps brought into the country by introduced 

 mammals. It may be noted, however, that they have died out 

 chiefly in the drier parts of the country, where, except for the 

 introduction of sheep, there has been very little alteration in 



