HALMATURUS BENNETTII. 



Bennett's Wallaby. 



Spec. Char. — Halm, pills siibspinosis, corpore supra fuscescenti-cinereo, clunibus, et regione circum-oculari, rufo-brunneis ; 

 corpore subtus cinerescenti-albo ; rostro, auribus postice, digitis anticis posticisque nigris ; linea albescente vix di- 

 st'mcta ab angulo oris, ad genas excurrente ; cauda cinerescente, ad apicem nigra, et subtus sordide flavescenti-ulba . 



Descr. — Fur rather long and moderately soft ; general tint a very deep gray, inclining to black on the back ; some- 

 what paler on the sides of the body, with a rust-like tint on the back of the neck, base of ears, the haunches, 

 shoulders, and in the region of the eye ; under surface of the body, and the inner side and fore part of the 

 hinder legs, grayish white ; muzzle black ; crown of the head brownish black ; an obscure whitish line extends 

 backwards from the corners of the mouth, and becomes obliterated on the cheeks ; lips dirty white ; chin 

 blackish ; ears white internally, black externally ; hands, toes and outer side of the heel black ; hairs of the tail 

 (excepting at the base, where they are of the same colours and character as those of the body) black, broadly 

 annulated with white near the apex ; tip of the tail black, under side of the tail white ; the hairs on the upper 

 part of the body are of a deep slate colour at the base, the remaining portion of each hair is black annulated 

 with white, or more generally with pale rust colour ; on the under parts of the body the hairs are of a deep 

 slate colour with the apical portion white. 



Male. ^ 



feet, inches. 



Length from the nose to the extremity of the tail 4 2 



of tail 2 1 



„ „ tarsus and toes, including the nail 10 



,, „ arm and hand, including the nails 8 



„ „ face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear ... 6 



„ „ ear 3 



Macropus Bennetti, Waterh. in Proc. of Zool. Soc. (Oct. 1837), Part V. p. 103. 

 Halmaturus ualabatus. Gray in Mag. of Nat. Hist., Nov. 1837, vol. i. New Series, p. 583. 

 Macropus {Halmaturus) fruticus, Ogilby in Ann. of Nat. Hist., May 1838, vol. i. p. 219. 

 Brush Kangaroo, Colonists of Van Diemen's Land. 



This is not only the largest Wallaby with which we are yet acquainted, but it is the most important, since its flesh is 

 very generally eaten and highly esteemed, and its skin forms a considerable article of commerce, being largely imported 

 from Van Diemen's Land into England for the manufacture of boots and shoes, besides being extensively used for the 

 same purpose in the colony. It is universally dispersed over Van Diemen's Land, whose dense and humid forests 

 afford it a retreat so secure as to preclude all chance of its extermination for centuries to come, although many 

 thousands are killed annually. Advertisements may frequently be seen in the Hobart Town newspapers, stating that 

 three thousand skins are immediately wanted, and they are quickly supplied by the settlers, servants and shepherds at 

 the out-stations : they are either captured by dogs or obtained by snares set in their runs ; the skins are generally 

 taken off on the spot, and are afterwards stretched on the ground to dry ; they are then sold for about fourpence or 

 sixpence each to persons who visit the stock stations of the interior for the purpose of collecting them, and who retail 

 them again in Hobart Town or Launceston to the advertiser or others for colonial consumption or for exportation. 



The Bennett's Wallaby is gregarious in its habits, and although truly a brush animal, does not confine itself so strictly 

 to localities of that description as the smaller members of the genus ; but frequently resorts to the thinly-timbered forests 

 and the crowns of the low grassy hills, always, however, seeking security in the thick brush when pursued, or such 

 steep rocky acclivities as present almost insurmountable obstacles to the pursuit with dogs. I believe it to be confined 

 to Van Diemen's Land ; at all events the neighbouring islands in Bass's Straits form the extent of its range northwards. 

 This is one of the most hardy members of the family, and would doubtless readily become acclimatized in this country, 

 since the temperature of Van Diemen's Land more nearly resembles that of the British Islands than does any other part 

 of Australia, in proof of which I may mention that numbers have been bred in the Menagerie of the Zoological Society, 

 in that of the Earl of Derby and others. The full-grown male varies in weight from forty to sixty pounds : the haunch 

 and loins are the only parts that are eaten, and these are constantly exposed for sale in Hobart Town, Launceston, and 

 other parts of the country. 



The female closely resembles the male in colour, but is about one-third less in size. 



