MACEOPirS. 



11 



with the milk-premolar (m.p.^) by p/ when the latter takes its 

 place in the series. M.* appearing after p/ is in place, and there- 

 fore never in position at the same time as p.^ Each of the molars 

 with a well-marked central connecting ridge between the two main 

 transverse ridges*. Lower incisors long, scalpriform, their inner 

 margins sharp-edged, opposable. Lower canines entirely absent ; 

 premolars and molars much as in the upper jaw. 



Habits. Terrestrial, saltatorial, graminivorous. 



Range. Australian, and Eastern half of Austro-Malayan, sub- 

 regions. 



The members of the genus Macropus divide themselves very 

 naturally into three groups, most easily distinguishable by size, but 

 each possessing characters which show that the species of each 

 group are, on the whole, more nearly related to each other than to 

 the members of other groups. 



Within the three groups the species seem to be very closely 

 related to one another ; and although each may be easily distin- 

 guished both externally and by their skulls, yet this is only done 

 by ringing the changes on a certain limited set of characters, all of 

 which seem to be equally trivial and unimportant in any deeper 

 sense than for mere specific distinction. 



Were it possible to separate the Kangaroos generically from the 

 Wallabies, it would be exceedingly convenient to do so ; but 

 unfortunately the, characters by which the groups are separated 

 from each other are neither sufficiently constant nor important 

 to found generic distinction upon, and I have therefore retained 

 the somewhat unwieldy genus Macropus for all the true Kangaroos 

 and Wallabies with the exception of the three small groups marked 

 off by definite generic characters. 



Synopsis of the Species. 



I. External Chaeacieks. 



A. Hind foot more than 260 millim. long. 

 (Kangaboos.) 



a. Nose hairy between the nostrils. Central 



hind claw long. Colour greyish brown . . 1. M.giganteuSj^.lB. 



b. Nose with a distinct naked rhinarium. 



Central hind claw shoi't. 

 a^. Fur coarse and straight, not woolly. 

 Face-markings obsolete. 

 a". Fur very short and sparse, antilopine '[p. 21. 



red 2. M. antilopimis, 



b^. Fur long and thick, smoky grey Z. M. robustus, p. 22. 



5'. Fur soft, but straight. Colour isabeUine. 



Front of neck sharply defined white . . 4. M. iadbellimis, 

 c'. Fur soft, short and wooUy. Colour [p. 25. 



rufous. Face-markings present. White 

 on front of neck not sharply defined. ... 6. M. rufus, p. 25. 



c. External chai'acters unknown Q. M. magnus, p. 27. 



* Nearly obsolete in M. bruni and M. brachyurus. 



