|

———————————E———
ter err ne ent cee

KN

IIIU UY

vy

IRINS

—~,

~,

IIUUIUIOR.

WIE

,

I

J1N

<

 

 

 

PREFACE.
vill
4 ee Yr a mn sun, I
T "10U ’s walk under a burning :
ired by a long and laborious day s walk
ther small quadruped. 1 y g ? ee an |
tl nieht by the side of a river, a nat
Ane eee

frequently encamped for ene + weary body on the river’s
i : stretched my : :

h yle > } y I { res iN l eq )

ater was often disturbed by the little

concentric circles formed by

c tinually around me, 1s it surprismeg that
1 » With such scenes as these contmual!) 2
up towards me. S

x C y S V I

¢ ° e ] ] ° . ie
c S D : | 28S iC inves § auc | Oo
a coul LAY t10 1s l { ess y { ) V S ”

3$ Y 1G ] es O S nsects

and to its wonderful botanical productions. The Lucalypti, the B ane the Casuarine,
Ee native Cedar- and the Fig-trees will ever stand forth prominently a my memory.
While in the interior of the country, I formed the intention of publishing a moult
of the great family of Kangaroos ; but soon after my return to England I determined to

attempt a more extended work, under the title of the ‘Mammals of Australia.
C

It will always be a source of pleasure to me to remember that I was the first to
describe and figure the Great Black and Red Wallaroos (Osphranter robustus and O. anti-
lopinus), the three species of Onychogalea, several of the equally singular Lagorchestes, and
many other new species of Kangaroos. Mounted examples of all these animals, whether
discovered by myself or by others, are now contained in the national collection of. this
country; but I regret to say that thei colours are very different from what they were
while the animals were living, the continuous exposure to light, consequent upon their
bemg placed in a museum, causing their evanescent colouring rapidly to fade, both here

and in the collections of every other country. Those who have seen the living Osphranter

rufus at the Zoological Gardens could scarcely for a moment suppose that the Museum

specimen of the same animal had ever been dressed in such glowing tints. To see the
Kangaroos in all their glory, their native country must be visited: their beauty would

then be at once apparent, and their various specific distinctions easily recognizable.

fy ee fe 1 7 > » Tr oe pi a > . .
The exploration of every new district has afforded ample proof of the existence of species
m every department of zoology with which we were previously unacquainted. Under

do not consider my work to be
comprises nearly the whole of the M

be traversed; but I bring it to

these circumstances
circumstances, I m any way complete, or that it

ammals of a country of which so much has yet to

a close after an interv

al of eighteen years since its com-
which constant

mencement ‘ine is :
, during attention has been oly
CO

en to the subject, as treating
h up to the present time.
be continued to

upon the genera and species know If my life be prolonged
aS : | | a
and the blessing of health

me, I propose, as in the case of the ‘ Birds