OSPHRANTER ANTILOPINUS, Gow.
Red Wallaroo.

Osphranter Antilopinus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part ix. p. 80.—Ib. Mon. of Macrop., pl. .—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-woke of the Aborigines of Port Essington.

 

From the period at which Australia was first visited by 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 lamger, 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.
Length from the nose to the extremity of the tail ake og) 5 j
s  oftaill 20. 2 Wo oe ee eS
os ,, tarsus and toes, including the nail . 1 eee ee ll
a », arm and hand, including the nails on 1 ee el
»  », face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear Se 6
ss Cole 44 3t

The first Plate represents the head of the male of the natural size; the second contains reduced figures
of both sexes.

 

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