Vlll 
PREFACE, 
other small quadruped. Tired by a long and laborious day’s walk under a burning sun, I 
frequently encamped for the night by the side of a river, a natural pond, or a water- 
bole, and before retiring to rest not unfrequently stretched my weary body on the river’s 
bank ; while thus reposing, the surface of the water was often disturbed by the little 
concentric circles formed by the Orni th orJiyn elms , or perhaps an Echidna came trotting 
up towards me. With such scenes as these continually around me, is it surprising that 
I should have entertained the idea of collecting examples of the indigenous Mammals of 
a country whose ornithological productions I had gone out expressly to investigate ? To 
have attempted to acquire a knowledge of more than the Birds and Mammals would 
have been unwise ; still I was not insensible to the interest which attaches to its insects 
and to its wonderful botanical productions. The Eucalypti, the Banhsice, the Camarirue, 
the native Cedar- and the Eig-trees will ever stand forth prominently in my memory. 
While in the interior of the country, I formed the intention of publishing a monograph 
of the great family of Kangaroos ; but soon after my return to England I determined to 
attempt a more extended work, under the title of the ‘ Mammals of Australia.’ 
It will always be a source of pleasure to me to remember that I was the first to 
describe and figure the Great Black and Red Wallaroos ( Osphranter robustus and 0 . anti - 
lopinus ), the three species of Onychogalea, several of the equally singular Layorchestes, and 
many other new species of Kangaroos. Mounted examples of all these animals, whether 
discovered by myself or by others, are now contained in the national collection of this 
country ; but I regret to say that their colours are very different from what they were 
while the animals were living, the continuous exposure to light, consequent upon their 
being placed in a museum, causing their evanescent colouring rapidly to fade, both here 
and in the collections of every other country. Those who have seen the living Osphranter 
rufus at the Zoological Gardens could scarcely for a moment suppose that the Museum 
specimen of the same animal had ever been dressed in such glowing tints. To see the 
Kangaroos in all their glory, their native country must be visited; their beauty would 
then be at once apparent, and their various specific distinctions easily recognizable. 
The exploration of every new district has afforded ample proof of the existence of species 
in every department of zoology with which we were previously unacquainted. Under 
these circumstances, I do not consider my work to be in any way complete, or that it 
comprises nearly the whole of the Mammals of a country of which so much has yet to 
be traversed ; but I bring it to a close after an interval of eighteen years since its com- 
mencement, during which constant attention has been given to the subject, as treating 
upon the genera and species known up to the present time. If my life be prolonged, 
and the blessing of health be continued to me, I propose, as in the case of the ‘ Birds 
