142 HISTORICAL NOTES ON THE PLATYPUS. 



The question was not finally cleared up until 1884, when W. H. Caldwell, 

 a Cambridge zoologist who came to Australia especially to investigate the repro- 

 duction of Monotremes and Marsupials, obtained eggs of both Platypus and 

 Echidna in the Burnett River district of Queensland. This fact was announced 

 to the scientific world by a dramatic cable, which Caldwell sent to the British 

 Association for the Advancement of Science, then sitting at Montreal, which was 

 read to the conference on 2nd September, 1884. 



NOTES ON BERNARD'S KANGAROO, 31 AC RO PUS BERNARDUS. 

 By A. S. Le Souef. 



Dendrodorcopsis woodwurdi Rothschild, Nov. Zonl. v. 3, 1903, p. 414 (Not 



Macropus robustus woodwardi Thomas, 1901). 

 Macropus bernardus Rothschild, Tom. cit. v. 4. 1903, p. 543. Id. Thomas. Nov. 



Zool. v. 11, 1904, p. 225. 



In November, 1918, five Bernard's Kangaroos were received by the Taronga 

 Park Trust from Mr. Cahill. who caught them near Onipelli Station, South 

 Alligator River, Northern Territory. The following observations are based on 

 these specimens, two of which are now in the Australian Museum, and num- 

 bered M. 2938 c?, and M. 2939 2. The colouration of the female does not appear 

 hitherto to have been described. 



These animals are of the robustus type, but are very much smaller with 

 proportionately smaller ears, and their feet better adapted for travelling on 

 rough rocky country. The males are black, while the females are brownish-grey 

 and only about two-thirds the size of the male. The sexes therefore show the 

 same disproportion in size as in 31. robustvs. 



In the early winter, the males of 31. bernardus are glossy black with dis- 

 tinctly hairy fur, but with the advent of summer, the colour gradually changes to 

 rusty black, especially on the back. At the end of the summer, when the colour 

 is changing to black, they often appear patchy owing to the colour changing 

 irregularly over the body. 



The female is light grey in winter, and changes to brownish grey with the 

 Banks and under surface fawn. The hair is not woolly, and is two inches long 

 in places. The paws and feet are black, the tip of the tail dark brown, the face 

 evenly coloured, and the nose black. The total length is 1185 mm., the tail 540 

 mm., and the ear 63 mm. 



Mr. Cahill states that these animals are found on rough hilly country, and 

 being very agile among the rocks and scrub, are hard to procure. In captivity 

 they were very quiet and docile. 



