INTRODUCTION. 
XXXI 
inhabited by this species, viz. East and West Wallaby Islands. On both of these they are so numerous, and have 
been so little disturbed, that they will allow of a very near approach, and may in consequence be obtained in almost 
any number. The male weighs, on an average, about 12 lbs. ; but several old bucks I obtained exceeded this, the 
heaviest weighing 15 lbs. A mature female weighs about 8 lbs. They appear to have no regular season for 
breeding, for all the females had young ones in the pouch, of very small size and quite naked ; and none were seen 
or killed less than a year old, at which age their weight is about 5 lbs. 
“The Halmaturus Houtmanni inhabits the dense scrub growing on almost every part of the two islands above 
mentioned; and its runs cross and recross almost every inch of them — even the sandy beaches close to the water’s 
edge, and among the thick scrub and Mutton-bird holes ; in these runs there are little sheltered spots, beneath 
which they lie during the heat of the midday sun, feeding for the most part during the night. On the approach 
of man it does not bound off at full speed as other Kangaroos do, but very leisurely takes two or three leaps, and 
then remaining stationary in an erect position, looks around with evident surprise, and is then easily shot. In 
fact, from having been so little disturbed, it will allow itself to be run down and caught. I was enabled to catch 
two in this way. Four or five of my men being on shore, I directed them to surround a bush into which I saw 
one of these Wallabies run, when the animal, seeing itself approached on all sides, became so bewildered that, 
instead of attempting to escape, it thrust its head into the thick scrub and allowed us to catch it by the tail. 
“ One I have alive has a habit of frequently crouching down like a Hare, with its tail brought forward between 
and before its fore feet.” 
Adult Male. Face dark grizzled grey, stained with rufous on the forehead ; external surface of the ear and 
the space between the ears dark blackish grey ; sides of the neck, shoulders, fore arms, flanks, and hind legs 
rufous, palest on the flanks ; a line of obscure blackish brown passes down the back of the neck and spreads into 
the dark grizzled brown of the back ; throat and chest buffy white ; under surface of the body grey ; tail grizzled 
grey, deepening into black on the upper side and the extremity. Fur somewhat short, coarse, and adpressed ; 
the base bluish grey, succeeded by rufous, then white, and the extreme tip black. 
Adult Female. Similar in colour to the male, but of a more uniform tint, in consequence of the rufous 
colouring of the shoulders and flanks being paler, and the grizzled appearance of the back not so bright. 
Dark grizzled grey approaching to black, particularly along the back. 
Adult Male. 
Female. 
ft. 
in. 
ft. 
in. 
Length from the nose to the tip of the tail 
3 
6 
3 
4 
of tail ......... 
1 
2F 
1 
2 
of tarsus and toes, including the nail 
0 
H 
0 
5 * 
of arm and hand, including the nails 
0 
6 
0 
4 
— of face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear 
0 
H 
0 
4 
of ear ......... 
0 
0 
9 1 
^ 8 
Notwithstanding Mr. Waterhouse’s opinion that this animal is merely a variety of H. Derbianus, and what I 
have said in my account of that species tending to confirm his view of the subject, I have thought it best to append 
a copy of my original description taken from the examples sent home by Gilbert. Future research will determine 
whether it be identical with the H. Derbianus or distinct. 
Habitat. Houtmann’s Abrolhos, Western Australia. 
79. Halmaturus Dama, Gould. 
Halmaturus Dama, Gould in Proc. Zool. Soc. part xii. p. 32. 
Dama, aborigines of Moore’s River. 
Mr. Gilbert states that this animal “ is an inhabitant of the dense thickets of the interior, and is so exceedingly 
numerous that their tracks from thence to their feeding-grounds resemble well-worn footpaths. Its general habits 
and manners resemble those of the Halmaturus Houtmanni. Mr. Johnson Drummond informs me that it makes no 
nest, but merely squats in a clump of grass like a Hare ; that it feeds in the night on the hills ; and it is very 
difficult to procure specimens, as the places it frequents are so dense as to render shooting it almost impossible, 
nor can a dog even chase it. The only chance of obtaining it is by the aid of the natives, a number of whom 
h 
