ONYCHOGALEA LUNATA, Gould. 
Lunated Nail-tailed Kang’aroo. 
Macropus lunatus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 93.— Gray, List of Mamm. in Brit. Mus., p. 88. — 
Waterh. Nat. Hist, of Mamm., vol. i. p. 79. 
When writing upon the Birds of Australia I frequently had occasion to allude to the very remarkable 
manner in which different species of the same form represent each other on opposite parts of the conti- 
nent; and that a similar law of representation exists among the Mammals, is evidenced by the present and 
preceding species, which, although most nearly allied, inhabit portions of the country as widely apart as if 
seas had flowed between, as at some distant period was probably the case. We have no evidence that they 
approach each other in the interior of the country, as neither of them have yet been discovered within the 
limits of the intervening colony of South Australia ; consequently they must be regarded as beautiful repre- 
sentatives of each other in the respective countries they inhabit. 
Although assimilating in form and markings to the Onychogalea frcenata, the present species is certainly 
less ornamental, and is also much smaller in all its dimensions. The habits and economy of the two species 
are very similar ; both exhibit a remarkable degree of shyness and timidity, and seek safety in flight upon 
the slightest alarm. I had no opportunity of observing it in a state of nature myself, but Mr. Gilbert’s notes 
inform me that “ the TFaurong,” by whieh name it is known to the natives, “ is found in the gum forests 
of the interior of Western Australia, where there are patches of thick scrub and dense thickets, in the open 
glades intervening between which it is occasionally seen sunning itself, but at the slightest alarm imme- 
diately betakes itself to the shelter of the thick scrub ; the dogs sometimes succeed in driving it out to the 
open spots, when, like the Kangaroo i*ats, it runs to the nearest hollow log, and is then easily captured. I 
remarked, that when sitting quietly cleaning itself, there was a constant twitching of the tail in an upward 
direction; an action which I have never seen performed by any other Kangaroo. I was not sufficiently near 
to ascertain whether this motion of the tail had any connection with the claw or nail at its extremity, but I 
think it not improbable. The Waurong makes no nest, but forms a hollow in the soft ground beneath a 
thick brush in which it lies during the heat of the day.” 
Fur soft and of moderate length ; general tint ashy grey, finely pencilled with dusky and yellowish white ; 
back of the neck and shoulders vinous rust-colour ; a short distance behind the base of the fore-leg a 
distinct curved white mark ; under surface of the body pale grey, the hairs tipped with dirty white ; on the 
sides of the body a faint rusty tint, more distinet in some specimens than in others ; around the eye a ring 
of pale rust-colour, and the muzzle suffused with the same tint ; ear clothed with long white hairs within, 
and externally with very minute dusky hairs finely freckled with yellowish white ; on the hinder half the 
hairs are longer and almost white, at the apex a delicate fringe of blackish hairs ; fore-feet in some speci- 
mens brown, in others dirty white ; tarsi chiefly dirty white, but the sides of the toes suffused with pale 
brown ; tail clothed for the most part with short adpressed hairs, having a general greyish tint ; on the 
upper surface the hairs are somewhat lengthened, and on the apical portion they form a slight crest which 
is usually blackish ; at the tip of the tail is a small conical horny appendage like a nail, of about an eighth 
of an inch in length. 
Male. 
Length from the nose to the root of the tail 
,, of the tail 
„ „ tarsus and toes including the nails 
„ ,, arm and hand including the nails 
„ „ face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear . 
ft. in. 
1 8 
0 12 
0 4f 
0 3i 
0 3 
0 2i 
It is to be regretted that this as well as all other Kangaroos lose the delicate tints of their colouring on 
exposure to light ; so much so in the present instance, that Museum and recent specimens could scarcely 
he considered as identical. 
The Plate represents the two sexes rather under the natural size. 
