HALMATURUS BILLARDIERII. 



Tasmanian Wallaby. 



Spec. Char. — Halm, vellere denso ; pilis ad basin coeruleo-cinereis, apud medium fuhescenli-fuscis, apicibus elongutis nigris ; 

 facie, corporeque superne nigrescenti-fuscis ; labiis, gula, pectore, corporeque subtus,fulms. 



Descr. — Fur very thick, the hairs blue grey at the base, buflfy brown in the middle, the tips, which are much pro- 

 duced, ending in black ; face and all the upper surface very dark brown, approaching to black, particularly on 

 the shoulders and back, where the hairs become much lengthened ; arms and tarsi greyish brown ; lips, throat, 

 chest and under surface reddish buff ; in some specimens these parts are grey tinged with buff ; ears dark brown 

 tinged with buff; upper side of the tail dark brown ; under side dirty white. 



feet, inches. 



Length from the nose to the extremity of the tail 3 6 



of tail 1 1 



,, „ tarsus and toes, including the nail 6 



„ „ arm and hand, including the nails 5^ 



„ „ face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear ... A\ 



„ „ ear 2-|- 



Kangunis Billardierii, Desm. Mamm., Suppl. p. 542. 



Macropus {Halmaturus) rufiventer, Ogilby in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part VI. (Feb. 1838) p. 23 ; and in Ann. of Nat. Hist. 



for May 1838, vol. i. p. 220. 

 Halmaturus {Thylogale^ Tasmanei, Gray in Ann. of Nat. Hist, for April 1838, vol. i. p. 108. 

 JVallaby, Colonists of Van Diemen's Land. 



I HAVE but little doubt that the habitat of this Wallaby is limited to Van Diemen's Land, and the larger islands in Bass's 

 Straits, in all which localities it is so numerous that the thousands annually destroyed make no apparent diminution of 

 its numbers. In consequence of the more southerly and therefore colder latitude of Van Diemen's Land, the vege- 

 tation is there much more dense and humid than on the continent of Australia ; indeed the sun never penetrates into 

 many parts of its forests, and accordingly we find this species clothed with a warmer and more sombre-coloured coat. 

 It is consequently of a more hardy nature than any of its congeners, and with care and a slight degree of perseverance 

 it might be easily naturalized in England ; indeed I feel confident that if a sufficient number were introduced in a suitable 

 locality, as in some of our forests and large estates of the nobility and gentry, the experiment would be attended with 

 complete success. Independently of the novelty of a species of this singular tribe ranging at liberty in our woods, its 

 flesh could not fail to be highly esteemed for the table. Being one of the best of the small Kangaroos, it is very 

 generally eaten in Van Diemen's Land. 



The Tasmanian Wallaby may be regarded as strictly gregarious, hundreds generally inhabiting the same localities ; 

 the situations which it frequents are gullies, and the more dense and humid parts of the forest, particularly those that 

 are covered with rank high grass, through and under which it forms numerous well-beaten tracks. From these coverts 

 it seldom emerges, and never even approaches the outskirts of the forest except at night : hence it is seldom seen 

 by ordinary observers. It is very easily taken with snares, formed of a noose placed in its run ; and thousands are 

 captured in this way solely for their skins : the sportsman also may readily procure it by stationing himself in some 

 open glade of Umited extent, accompanied by two or three small yelping dogs, before which it keeps hopping round 

 and round, and thus affords him an opportunity of shooting it as it passes ; for like the common rabbit, it never quits 

 the locality in which it is bred. 



Much diversity of colour is observable in different specimens, some having the throat and under surface deep reddish 

 buff, while others have the same parts much lighter. 



Its usual weight is from fifteen to twenty pounds, although many are smaller. 



