230 AUSTRALIAN AND TASMANI AN ANIMALS 



readily distinguishable by the abundant growth of hair on the upper side of the 

 tip of the tail, and ranging almost all over Australia, but replaced in Tasmania by 

 the larger B. cuniculus, which has scarcely any crest to the tail. South and 

 Western Australia form the home of another member of the group, known as 

 Lesueur's kangaroo-rat (B. lesueuri), in which the tail is but slightly crested and 

 nearly always white at the tip. Another group is represented by the plains 

 kangaroo-rat of South Australia (Caloprymnvbs campestris), which differs from 

 the prehensile-tailed group by the absence of a crest of hair to the tail, 

 and on this account, in association with peculiarities in the skull and teeth, 

 is referred to a genus by itself. In length the head and body measure about 

 18 inches and the tail 14 inches. The last member of the subfamily is the rufous 

 kangaroo-rat (JEpyprymnus rufescens), of New South Wales, characterised by the 

 hairy nose and crestless tail, as well as by its bright rusty red fur, more or less 

 streaked with white above and dirty white beneath. The ears are black, and 

 there is a whitish hip-stripe. This animal is about 21 inches long, exclusive of the 

 tail, which gives another 15 inches. These kangaroo-rats either build nests like 

 those of the prehensile-tailed species, under fallen trees or low bushes, or repose 

 during the day after the manner of a hare, in an open " form " amid grass and 

 herbage. If driven from this covert, they run very rapidly for a short distance 

 but sooner or later take refuge in some hollow loo- or hole in the ground, where 

 they fall an easy prey to the Australian natives, by whom the flesh is much 

 esteemed. It may be added that naturalists have attempted to replace the name 

 " kangaroo-rat " by " rat- kangaroo." 



Musk- Perhaps the most interesting of all the smaller Macropodiclce 



Kangaroo. j s tl ie musk-kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon mosdiatus), since it forms 

 a kind of connecting link between the typical kangaroos and the arboreal 

 Australian opossums. On account of the similarity of the structure of its lower 

 jaw to that of the kangaroos, this species has been classed with that group, but 

 the conformation of the hind-foot much more resembles that of the Australian 

 opossums. As in the latter group, the hind-foot of the musk -kangaroo is five-toed, 

 having a well-developed, although clawless, first-toe, placed high up near the 

 heel-joint and freely opposable to the other toes; while the second and third 

 toes are but feebly developed and united by skin, the fourth being by far the 

 largest and longest. The fore-legs, which are not much shorter than the hind pair, 

 resemble those of other kangaroos. This species, which derives its name of musk- 

 kangaroo from the strong scent it emits, is about the size and build of a rat, with 

 rather large, naked ears, and a tapering naked and scaly tail. The body is clothed 

 with thick, curly, velvet-like fur of a mottled reddish orange-grey, brightest on 

 the back and palest on the under-parts. In spite of its bright colouring and 

 partiality for a diurnal life, this little animal, which is chiefly confined to northern 

 Queensland, where it is by no means rare, is not often seen and caught. 

 Frequenting the thickest and dampest spots in woods bordering the rivers and 

 coast mountains, it is generally seen singly or in pairs, except during the 

 rainy season, from February till May, when the females are accompanied by their 

 two young. 



Its movements are very similar to those of a small kangaroo, and it digs for 



