BETTONGIA FASCIATA
Banded Jerboa Kangaroo.

aX Tine 22 nollere * a ° > fryon The ) ) )
fe Char.—B. vellere longo molli, saturate fusco, pilis ad basin cinereis in medio albis ; exindd fe
saturate fuscis ; vellere corporis superioris pilis longis albis sericeis We nee
; 3 dorso inferiore fascis nigris viv
e . Os
et artubus posticrs externe flav

white towards the apex
| | , s the apex 2
yellow shaded into dark brown at the point; fur of the upper surface a

He. ero crebreé adsperso
conspicuis, transversim notato ; spateo circumoculari flavescenti-fusco ; tarsis
és Oa a |
Descr —Fur long and soft; general colour deep brown grey at the base, hai fie
lairs, and rust
interspersed wit] i :
| | ! ‘ ) n . Cc Aq ro > ©
hairs ; on the lower half of the back are about twelve or thirteen not \ fined ae ie
| » hot very defined, transverse bl:

. e > - ra « TO Rs 5 . = 7 : ‘ as | 7
of which is bordered above with white, and below with rusty yellow; throat and und fi ae
ve bordered hw : ; y) ane der surface white: chj
muzzle, and a space round the eye yellowish brown ; tarsi and outer side of the legs tinged " ll es

; eer Fs ; ‘tess tinged with yellow; hair
the hands and base of the toes whitish; internal surface of the ears white ; tail ae itl 7 . i
he hands ad : toes wh | ( : te red with short, adpress
grizzled grey and white, or in parts black and white hairs ; about an inch and a half of the apical fi pee
| > apical por -overe
with longer black hairs. :

Male.

Length from the tip of the nose to the extremity of the tail a he
of tail Me ce cs, 3

; “oe 103

tarsus and toes, including the nail .

,, arms and hand, including the nails. ce 3.

eo ,, face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear. 3
Ror eg ]2

Kaneurus fasciatus, Peron et Leseur, Voy. aux Terres Australe ' A Aas Ber

f y a es Australes, tom. 1. p. 114; and Atlas, pl. 27.—Desm. Ency. Méth.
Mamm., p. 274.

Kanguroo élégant, Cuy. Coll. de Paris.

Halmaturus elegans, Cuv. Regne Anim., tom. 1. p. 187.

Hypsiprymnus Leseuri, Quoy et Gaim. ?

 

Turee specimens of this elegant little animal form part of the collection of the museum at Paris, which, as far as I
am aware, are the only examples that have yet been brought to Europe: after a careful examination of them upon
two different occasions, I believe that they form part of that division of the family to which Mr. Gray has assigned
the generic title of Bettongia, and that the species is most nearly allied to Bettongia rufescens and B. Grait; at the same
time it exhibits in the character of its hair, but not in the form and structure of its teeth, some affinity to the members
of the genus Lagorchestes.

The Banded Jerboa Kangaroo is a native of Dirk Hartogs, and other islands situated off the western coast of Au-
stralia: it was there observed in great abundance by Peron, whose notes are here given as comprising all that is at
present known respecting 1t :—

“Tt inhabits the impenetrable low thickets, formed of a species of Mimosa, which are found in those islands; from these
bushes it cuts away the lower branches and spines so as to form galleries communicating one with another, and where it takes
refuge in time of danger. The females bring forth but one young at a time. Although abundant on the islands, none were to
be found on the main land. These little Kangaroos, like all feeble animals which have neither the power of attack nor of de-
fence, are extremely timid. The slightest noise caused them to take flight to the thick brushwood in which their galleries are
constructed, and where it is impossible to pursue them ; hence, although very common, they are difficult to procure.

“ The flesh of these animals is said to resemble that of the rabbit, but has a slight aromatic flavour, arising probably from
the nature of the plants on which they feed, nearly all of which are fragrant.

“ All the females carried young in their pouch, and the devotedness with w | ,
1 never left them until, overcome with fatigue and

hemselves on the hind legs, helped the young

hich they sought to save their offspring was truly

admirable. Although wounded they flew with the young in the pouch, anc
loss of blood, they could no longer carry them ; they then stopped, and squatting t Re? oS

p : bon £ p ; ace them in a situation favourable for retreat.
to get out of the pouch by means of the fore feet, and sought to place them m a situation fé é