PERAGALEA LAGOTIS. 
Larg’e-eared Peragnlea. 
Perameles lagotis, Reid in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 129. — Waterh. Nat. Lib. Mamm., vol. ix. (Marsupialia), 
p. 153. pi. xii. 
Paragalia lagotis, Gray, App. to Gray’s Trav., vol. ii. p. 401. 
Peragalea lagotis, List of Mamm. in Brit. Mus. Coll., p. 96. 
Dol-goitch or Dal-gyte, Aborigines of Western Australia. 
Rabbit of the Colonists. 
The western portion of Australia is the only locality in which this fine animal has yet been discovered, 
evidencing with our comparatively recent acquisitions Myrmecobius and Tarsipes, that the mammalogy of 
that part of the continent is fully as interesting, both for novelty and singularity of form, as that of the 
eastern coast, which is inhabited by the Ornithorhynchus, Koala, &c. 
The first notice of this animal on record is that published in the “ Proceedings of the Zoological Society 
of London” for 1836, Mr. Reid, a member of the Society, having described it, from a skin exhibited at 
the scientific meeting of the 13th of December in that year, under the name of Perameles lagotis : he was 
in error, however, when he stated it to inhabit Van Diemen’s Land. At the end of his paper, wherein the 
external characters and the dentition of the animal are minutely described, Mr. Reid gave it as his opinion 
that the distinctions between it and the other members of the genus Perameles were so marked, that it 
might be considered the type of a distinct genus, for which the term Macrotis would be an appropriate 
designation; he did not, however, publish any generic characters, and as the term Macrotis is objectionable 
from its similarity to the specific name, I am induced to adopt the generic designation proposed for it by 
Mr. Gray. 
Were any attempts to be made at introducing the indigenous animals of Australia into Europe for 
ornamental purposes, or as additions to our articles of food, the present would be one of those with which 
it would he most desirable to make the trial. That it hears confinement well and contentedly, is proved by 
the fact of one having lived in the Gardens of the Zoological Society of London for some time ; its death 
was doubtless attributable to the want of a suitable substitute for its natural food. 
That its flesh is sweet and delicate, I have abundant testimony. When boiled it resembles that of the 
rabbit ; prejudice would therefore he the only obstacle to its general adoption as an article of food, and 
this surely might easily be combated. I trust from what I have here said, that a sufficient hint has been 
thrown out to induce those who have the opportunity to import it into Europe. 
The Peragalea lagotis is tolerably abundant over the whole extent of the grassy districts of the interior of 
the Swan River colony, where it lives for the most part in pairs, usually selecting spots where, the soil being 
loose, its powerful claws enable it to excavate the earth and form burrows with amazing rapidity. Into 
these holes it always retreats for safety; and as these subterraneous runs are both deep and long, it 
frequently eludes the pursuit of the natives, who hunt it for the sake of its flesh. 
Its food consists of insects, their larvse, and the roots of trees and plants; a favourite article is a large 
grub, the larva of a species of Cerambyoo ? which is deposited in the roots of the Acacice, and which is 
equally in request with the natives, who never fail to cut it out from an exposed root whenever they observe 
the Dal-gyte has been unsuccessful. 
The number of young brought forth at a time has not yet been satisfactorily ascertained, but we may 
fairly presume that they are at least three or four. 
The sexes present no difference whatever in their colouring, but the female is smaller than the male. 
General tint of the upper parts of the head and body ashy grey; sides of the head, shoulders, and the 
sides of the body very pale vinous rust-colour ; under parts of the head and body and the inner side of the 
limbs white ; fore-legs and feet white, with a dark greyish patch on the outside of the former ; tarsi white 
above, the hairs covering the under surface of a smoky brown colour ; forepart of the outer legs white, 
outer and hinder part blackish grey ; a whitish line extends backwards on the sides of the rump ; soft 
long hair, coloured like that of the body, clothes about an inch and a hair of the base of the tail ; beyond 
this, for about three inches and a half, the tail is covered with black and somewhat harsh hairs ; on the 
under side of the tail they are scarcely half an inch in length, but on the upper side most of them are 
upwards of one inch in length ; the remainder of the tail is covered with white hairs, which increase in 
length on the upper side to the tip, where they are about two inches in length ; on the under side they are 
short, and decrease in length towards the apex of the tail, the extreme point of which is naked ; moustaches 
moderately long and black ; ears almost naked, the margins fringed with whitish hairs ; externally on the 
forepart they are covered with minute brown hairs. 
The figure is of the natural size. 
