822 MR. G. C. SHORTRIDGE OX GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION [NoV. 23, 



species of Bettongia are sufficiently numerous in many places to 

 be rathei- destructive to crops, on which account they are often 

 trapped and poisoned off in large numbers. 



Omnivorous, and to a great extent scavengers, often collecting 

 around camps at night in order to jjick up any scraps that might 

 be lying about, and, unless specially frightened, they become very 

 fearless, often apjjroaching within a foot or two of where people 

 are sitting. If startled, however, they are wonderfully quick, being 

 even more agile in their movements than the smaller wallabies. 



More exclusively nocturnal than the kangaroos and wallabies : 

 lying up by day in a grass nest, which is generally hidden either 

 beneath a thick biish or tuft of grass, and when put up, bolting 

 into the nearest hollow log or patch of cover. Although it has 

 been said that this species carries about bundles of grass or small 

 sticks Avith its tail, I do not think that such a thing is possible with 

 an animal whose tail is not in the slightest degree prehensile. 



Tail occasionall}^ tipped with white like that of " lesueicri." 



31 specimens collected. Albany (King River) ; Brookton 

 (Dwaladine) ; Pinjelly (Woyaline Wells) ; Busselton (Yal- 

 lingup) ; Margaret River (Burnside). 



The Kangaroo-rat of Colonists. 



' Woylyer ' oi- ' Woyre ' of natives. 



Bettongia lesueuri Quoy & Gaim. (Text-fig. 258.) 



Typical form, confined to Bernier, Dorree, and Dirk Hartog 

 Islands off Sharks Bay, where it is very plentiful, making- 

 burrows among the clifts along the sea-shore. Feeding to a great 

 extent on marine refuse and dead matter, even dead sheep being 

 occasionally partly eaten. 



18 specimens collected. Bernier Island. 



Bettongia lesueuri grayi Gld. (Text-fig. 258.) 



Yery abundant in many parts of the South- West, differing 

 curiously from the insular form in not occulting near the coast. 

 It is possible that some of the mammals that do not occur to 

 the west of the Darling Ranges extend to the coast between 

 Albany and Esperance, and when they existed in the dry 

 districts of the North-West and South-East, there is no doubt 

 that they Avere coastal there, as this species is still said to be in 

 South Australia. Difiering from Bettongia penicillata, which it 

 resembles in most of its habits, in being a buiTowing animal, 

 numbers often collecting together and making small warrens 

 similar to those of rabbits. The tAvo species of Bettongia frequently 

 occur in the same localities. 



Not appearing at the present time to exist on the mainland to 

 the north of the Swan RiA^er. 



Tail A-ery slightly incrassated. 



At night the Kangaroo-rats make a peculiar grunting noise as 

 they hop about. 



