HALMATURUS TRETIBIS, Geoff. Sr p. Cuv. 



Pademelon Wallaby. 



Spec. Char. — H. vellere mediocriter molli ; intense fusco ; humeris, nucha, ef colli lateribus ferrugineis ; mento et gula albis ; 

 antihrachiis cinerescentibus ; antipedibm, pedibus, tarsisque saturate fuscis ; caudce lateribus mxpilisvestitis, et squamas 

 epidermidis ostendentibus. 



Descr. — Fur rather soft; general colour deep brown; shoulders, sides and back of. the neck rusty red; ears furnished 

 internally with moderately lon^ dirty white hairs ; upper lip dirty white ; chin and throat white ; remainder of 

 the under surface dirty white ; arms greyish ; hands brown ; tarsi and feet uniform dark brown ; tail brownish 

 grey above and dirty white beneath ; on the sides of the tail the hairs are scanty, and the scales covering the 

 tail are very apparent. 



Male. 



feet, inches. 



Length from the tip of the nose to the extremity of the tail .... 3 



of tail 1 



„ ,, tarsus and toes, including the nail 5|- 



„ „ arm and hand, including the nails 5 



„ ,, face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear ... 4^ 



„ ear 2 



Halmatiirus Thetidis, Geoff. & F. Cuv. Mamm., p. Ivi. 

 Pademelon of the colonists of New South Wales. 



Of the smaller species of Wallaby inhabiting Australia, the present is perhaps the one best known to the colonists, inas- 

 much as it is more abundant in New South Wales than any other. It is strictly a brush animal ; and consequently only 

 to be found in such localities. All the brushes I have visited from Illawarra to the Hunter, as well as those of the great 

 range which stretches along parallel with the coast, are equally favoured with its presence ; I have also received specimens 

 from Moreton Bay. It is not unfrequently found running in the same locaUty, and even in company with the H. Uala- 

 batus, although the very humid parts of the forest appear to be less suited to it than to that species. 



As an article of food, few animals are so valuable, its flesh being tender and well-flavoured, and more like that of the 

 Common Hare than that of any other European animal I can compare it with. 



The sexes are precisely alike in colour, but the female is a trifle smaller in size. 



The species appears to have been first brought to Europe by the French navigators, who applied to it the inappro- 

 priate term of Thetidis (after their vessel), which, however, it would not be right to alter. Having seen the original 

 specimen in Paris, which is said to have been brought from Port Jackson, I am satisfied of its identity with my own 

 specimens. I mention this circumstance, particularly as the name of TJietidis has been placed as a synonym of Eugenii, 

 an animal brought home by Peron, and which I now believe to be identical with H. Derby anus. 



The H. Ualabatus must be classed among the smaller Halmaturi, being scarcely so large as H. Derbyunus or H, Bil- 

 lardierii. 



