HYPSIPRYMNUS PLATYOPS, Gowid.

Broad-faced Rat-Kangaroo.

Hypsiprymnus platyops, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., part xii. p. 103.
(Potorois) platyops, Waterh. Nat. Hist. Mamm., vol. 1. p. 231.

 

e least of the family of Kangaroos yet discovered ; and is so rare that an adult male in
Museum, both procured by Mr. Gilbert in Western
and the other at King George’s

d its

Tuts species is th
my own collection and
Australia, one in the Walyema Swamps, near Northam in the interior,
Sound, are all the examples that have yet been seen. When compared with Hypsiprymnus Gilberti_ an
ll be found to differ from the whole of them in several particulars ; the more
t breadth of its zygomatic arches, which, together with
a very bluff appearance, not unlike that

another in that of the British

allies, the present species wl
its smaller size and the grea

the brevity of its nose, give to the facial aspect of the animal

of the young Wombat.

At the time Mr. Waterhou
specimen from which he took
male I have since received differs in no material respect
description verbatim.

«This,” says Mr. Waterhouse,

important of which are

of his “ Natural History of the Mammalia,” the

that had reached this country ; the adult
remarks and

ise wrote the first volume

his description was the only one
, and I therefore transcribe his

‘©ig a small and very distinct species, readily distinguished from Hyps.
minor and H. Gilberts by its having the tip of the muzzle naked in front only; while in the two species first
ed part of the muzzle is extended somewhat on the upper surface; the zygomatic arches (so
judged from the skull enclosed in the skin) must be thrown boldly out from the cranium, and

breadth to the face which suggested the spec

«The hairs constituting the fur, are, on the back, grey @
followed by a long space ‘n each hair which ‘s white, and this ag
colour of the tips of the hairs ; the white portion, showing conspicuously,

the appearance of being distinctly pencilled with that hue; 08 the ules pants
and dusky w ly 5 the feet are dirty white,
int being most distinc s of the toes: the ears are hon!
: hich are partly partly white, and internally with hairs

a

named the nak

«
vay

4

ca

ific name.”

t the root, then yellowish
ain is succeeded by black, that being the
gives the upper parts of the body
of the body each hair is
indistinctly grizzled with
and rounded,

far as may be
thus give the

lg

es

brown, and this is

WANN

POOos Os

i

hite externa
t on the side
brown and

Me

pale grey at the root,
brownish ; this latter t
externally clothed with longish hairs, w
which are of a dirty white.”

The figures are of the natural size.

3

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