onennnanog og

TTONGIA PE
BET rLA PENT T
CILLATA, Gray,
Jerboa Kangaroo.
Bettongia penicillata, Gray, in Mag. of Nat. Hist. new
Gould, Mon. of Macropodide.—Gray,
Hypsiprymnus murinus, Ogilby, in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part vi, p. 63.
setosus, Waterh. Cat. of Mamm. in

Mus. Zool. Soc., p. 65.
(Bettongaa) penicillatus, Waterh. Nat. Hist. of Mamm.

Ser. vol. i. p. 584.—Waterh. Nat. Lib. Mar

supialia, p. 183,—
List of Mamm. in Brit. Mus., p- 93.

 

 

» Vol. i. p. 219, pl. 9.

Hullmandel k Walton, Lip.

Se

Tue eastern parts of Australia, particularly the districts on the interior side of the r
cies figured on the ace

Wales, constitute the true habitat of the spe
Bt)
very abundant on the Liverpool Plains, and on the

anges of New South
ompanying Plate. | observed it to be
banks of the river Namoi, from its source to it
coast I did not meet with Ik
so; but, if it be, it is cert
I have never seen an e
part of the country appearing to be su

 

S Junction
do not, however, assert
ain that it is far less abundant there
xample from South Australia ;
pplied by its near ally tl
abundance from thence to the western limits of the

with the Gwydyr; but between the ranges and the
that it is not an inhabitant of those districts al
than on the other side of the ranges. its place in that
1e Bettongia Ogilbyi, a species d
country, or the colony of Swan River.

animals (B. pencillata and B. Ogilby?)
, while I admit the feasibility of this opinion,
colouring of the two animals are so different, that, in a work on the M

ispersed in
Mr. Waterhouse

| isinclined to believe that these eastern and western are merely varie-

ties of one and the same species; and the markings and
ammals of Australia, I cannot do

~ otherwise than figure both of them, leaving their specific value to be ascertained by future zoologists, should
Si . noopportunity for fully investigating the subject occur to myself: it is just one of those cases In which a
‘ | careful examination of a great number of specimens and skeletons from both localities is required to
q | determine so dubious a question, and such materials are not at od accessible. 3 ;
4 | Like the other members of the genus, this species constructs a thick grassy nest, welunel is placed ina
< hollow scratched on the ground for its reception, so that when completed it is only level with the ae
= ing grass, which it so closely resembles, that without a careful survey it ey be Cone ane
3 Fire ffosen for the nest is the foot of a bush or any large tuft of grass ; during ae day it oe
= tenanted by one, and sometimes by a pair of these little es which lying coat! a oe e oe
= fectly Epicealed from view; there being no apparent outlet, an Aa oe bees se SI
a : > entrance, when, as ave before stated, the w S kK :
aL they drag the grass gorupictely over S me eG es rarely pass without detecting its
<q surrounding herbage that it is scandely perce pe a ae askin’ Aner foe or heavy clubs at it. = s
9 presence, and almost invariably kill the sleeping inmates, by dashing the
Za

c c c C

cy

I] *f tl 2 oF f . Ac 7 | tl ‘ © y . P] t oy ore 7 t t tail
c sU < S Ss © S 1e@ acco pe C are Car ed Wi h 1ts C
collects th : isses To Ss x ‘ , 9 9

al

ly

] no rap ir
asily imagined, their appearance when leaping towards the
which is strongly prehensile, and, as may be easily imagined,
ag Dies )

B ik

. « sine’: this curious feat 1s even ex-
ts with their tails loaded with grasses is exceedingly grotesque and amusing
nests w “ur tails load grasses mu

TAs

ie of Karl of Derby having evinced the same
hibited i f fi nt, a pairin the Menagerie of the late Earl of Derby having
ubited in a state of confinemen pecan I §

| Sa arrying it round the
l ly loadi their tails with the hay of their nests, and carrying
» freque ’ loading their tails )
natural habits, by frequently loading

Sp

VaNeng

< re ras ills and dr
Tl l resorts of the Jerboa Kangaroo are low grassy hills a :
rein whi -y were ke e usual resort: ; 8 ce eee
cage in which they were kept. mictly preganone mulibersiteyab
id hinly int ted with trees and bushes; and although not ae ; i dane ea
mages, thinly intersecte — ; : shape of a ball during ay,
a eee led in the shape
; rled up
in tl ality 5 ‘turnal animal, lying cu
in the same locality. It is a noctur ;

9 food. which consists of grasses and roots, the latter being pro-
1 1 st of f which consists oF ¢

ing forth as aia “oaches in quest of food,

sallying forth as ni¢ht approaches

65a

: per its vicinity is fre-
oo, ee ‘ably adapted, and its vi ,
i burrowing, for which its fore-claws are admira y ae : nds with amazing
ume retcbing and burrowing, When startled from its nest, it bounds §
; on ste

Wi, .

.. -cavations it has made.
quently indicated by the little excavations it on é a all hele enneCeee

ae : <s the shelter of a hollow tree, or a smé eee upper sur-
Beaty, and gig ‘De shelter of h: general colour brown; the hairs on the " Ta
pene ack at the point; under surface dirty
ack

n above and pale brown beneath,

6

ce: rery soft to the
Fur moderately long, and not very so le w the tip, and Dl
Boor Te pay rusty white nec ?
face grey at the base, pencilled with rusty

‘own: tail brow
++ feet very pale brown ; té - arts Otathe
white; internal surface of the ear yellow; feet very pi than those of the other parts of
; S !

4
ea n

a
: ote rer ~~)
. are |e a1iKe which are long S -
. re . ae -ownish-black hairs, <
is the apical quarter clothed with bro 7 a Xe
3 : . maak Male. Ps
x tail, and form a kind of tuft. ae feet. inches. Y
SS eet. mae }
x ; . 2 0 y
x 9 6 |
= : @
S i > tail ee ;
8 ‘a » extremity of the 1 I P
ae : > nose to the e ) =
a Length woun Wis oS ‘ 4 3
S » of tail . Co ail a 22 i}
yy of tarsus and toes, including the a oF ; ~~)
g ” ¥ : aile Q1 - °
S F including the nails : 35 aS
* ce of arm and hand, including reece 1 ,
S of face from the tip of the nose to the Das fe
S Be é
: . of ear

The figures are of the natural size.

NANG