OSPHRANTER ANTILOPINUS, Gould. 
Red Wallaroo. 
Osphranter Antilopinus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part ix. p. 80. — Ib. Mon. of Macrop., pi. .—Gray, List 
of Mamm. in Coll. Brit. Mus., p. 91. 
Macropus {Halmaturus) Antilopinus, Waterh. Nat. Hist, of Mamm., vol. i. p. 95. 
Mar-ra-a-wohe of the Aborigines of Port Essington. 
From the period at which Australia was first visited hy our enterprising navigators to the present time, our 
knowledge of its natural productions has been almost entirely confined to those of the narrow and limited 
tract of land bordering its eastern and southern shores ; and it may fairly be said, that the whole of the 
zoology of the vast range of country washed by the seas of Torres’ Straits is as much or more unknown than 
that of any similar extent of country in the world. In exemplification of what I have here asserted of 
our ignorance of the productions of that region, I may mention that the noble Kangaroo here figured is only 
one of many new and interesting animals I have lately received from these parts. It is very abundant on 
the Cobourg Peninsula, and I have no doubt that, when the country towards the interior is explored, it will 
there be found in great numbers. 
Two very fine specimens, from which my figures and dimensions are taken, were collected by Mr. Gilbert 
while at Port Essington, and these in all probability are the only perfect specimens in Europe : the weight 
of the male was about one hundred and twenty pounds. Captain Chambers, however, late of H.M.S. Pelorus, 
has placed at my disposal, for the purpose of comparison, &c., several imperfect skins of this species, which 
clearly indicate that the animal frequently attains a much larger size ; and that gentleman also assured me 
that he has himself seen examples weighing one hundred and seventy pounds ; few species therefore exceed 
it in size, and certainly, with the exception of Macropus laniger, none in the richness of its colour and 
markings. Captain Chambers further informed me, that when hard pressed in the chase it becomes 
exceedingly fierce and bold, and while among the rocks a most dangerous animal to encounter, one of his 
finest dogs being tumbled over a precipice and killed by an old male : In this fierceness of disposition It 
exhibits a striking resemblance to the Black Wallaroo ; they also closely assimilate in the diminutive size of 
their females. 
Although fifteen years have elapsed since the above remarks were published in my monograph of the 
Kangaroos, no additional information or examples have been transmitted to this country. As I have given 
life-sized drawings of the heads of the other large Kangaroos, I have thought it necessary, for the sake of 
uniformity, to give a similar illustration of this noble species, of which specimens are to be seen in the 
National Collection. 
The male has the fur of the body rigid and adpressed ; general colour rusty red, becoming paler on the 
face and shoulders, and white or yellowish white on the throat, chest, abdomen and inside of the limbs ; 
hands and feet dark reddish brown, passing into black on the toes ; tip of the tail reddish brown. 
The female has the fur less rigid and more loose than the male ; general colour reddish sandy brown, 
passing into vinous grey on the shoulders, back of the neck and face; base of the ear externally dark 
brownish grey, passing into yellowish white towards the tips ; immediately in front of the ear a conspicuous 
patch of yellowish buff ; a light buff mark also extends from beneath the eye along the upper lip ; throat, 
chest, abdomen and inside of the limbs pale yellowish white ; hands and feet dark brown, becoming black 
towards the nails. 
Male. Female. 
feet, inches. feet, inches. 
Leng 
th from the nose to the extremity of the tail 
. 7 
3 . 
. . 5 6 
of tail 
. 2 
9 . 
. . 2 3 
„ tarsus and toes, including the nail 
. 1 
1 . 
. . 11 
?? 
,, arm and hand, including the nails 
. 1 
2 . 
. . 11 
„ face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear 
. 
H • 
. . 6 
5 ? 
„ ear 
4i . 
. . 3i 
The first Plate represents the head of the male of the natural size ; the second contains reduced figures 
of both sexes. 
