H A I íM Á T U m U S BHJLI4AJH UM E lR .il
HALMATURUS BILLARDIERII .
Tasmanian Wallaby.
Spec. Char.— Halm, vellere demo ; pilis ad basin ccemleo-cinereis, apud medium fulvescenti-fuscis, apicibus elongatis nigris ;
facie, corporeque superne nigrescentifuscis ; labiis, gala, pectore, corporeque subtus,fulvis.
Descr.—-Fur very thick, the hairs blue grey at the base, bufly brown in the middle, the tips, which are much produced,
ending in black; face and all the upper surface very dark brown, approaching to black, particularly on
the shoulders and back, where the hairs become much lengthened; arms and tarsi greyish brown; lips, throat,
chest and under surface reddish buff; in some specimens these parts are grey tinged with buff; ears dark brown
tinged with buff; upper side of the tail dark brown; under side dirty white.
feet, inches.
Length from the nose to the extremity o f the tail . 3 6
I • ,> o f t a i l .......................................................................................... 1 1
„ „ tarsus and toes, including the n a i l ............................................... 6
. „ „ arm and hand, including the n a i l s ............................................... 54-
„ „ face from the tip o f the nose to the base o f the ear . . . 4-g-
,, „ e a r ............................... ' .................................................................... 24-
Kangunts Bittardierii, Desm. Mamm., Suppl. p. 542.
Macropus (Halmaturus) ruficenter, Ogilby in Proc. o f Zool. Soc., Part VI. (Feb. 1838) p. 2 3 ; and in Ann. o f Nat. Hist.
for May 1838, vol. i. p. 220.
Halmaturus ( Thylogale) Tasmanei, Gray in Ann. of Nat. Hist, for April 1838, vol. i. p. 108.
Wallaby, Colonists o f Van Diemen’s Land.
I h a v e but little doiibt that the habitat o f this Wallaby is limited to Van Diemen’s Land, and the larger islands in Bass’s
Straits, in all which localities it is so numerous that the thousands annually destroyed make no apparent diminution of
its numbers. In consequence o f the more southerly and therefore colder latitude o f Van Diemen’s Land, the vegetation
is there much more dense and humid than on the continent o f Australia; indeed the sun never penetrates into
many parts o f its forests, and accordingly we find this species clothed with a warmer and more sombre-coloured coat.
It is consequently of a more hardy nature than any o f its congeners, and with care and a slight degree o f perseverance
it might be easily naturalized in England; indeed I feel confident that if a sufficient number were introduced in a suitable
locality, as in some o f our forests and large estates o f the nobility and gentry, the experiment would be attended with
complete success. Independently o f the novelty of a species o f this singular tribe ranging at liberty in our woods, its
flesh could not fail to be highly esteemed for the table. Being one o f the best o f the small Kangaroos, it is very
generally eaten in Van Diemen’s Land.
The Tasmanian Wallaby may be regarded as strictly gregarious, hundreds generally inhabiting the same localities ;
the situations which it frequents are gullies, and the more dense and humid parts o f the forest, particularly those that
are covered with rank high grass, through and under which it forms numerous well-beaten tracks. From these coverts
it seldom emerges, and never even approaches the outskirts o f the forest except at night: hence it is seldom seen
by ordinary observers. It is very easily taken with snares, formed o f a noose placed in its run; and thousands are
captured in this way solely for their skins : the sportsman also may readily procure it'by stationing himself in some
open glade o f limited extent, accompanied by two or three small yelping dogs, before which it keeps hopping round
and round, and thus affords him an opportunity o f shooting it as it passes; for like the common rabbit, it never quits
the locality in which it is bred.
Much diversity o f colour is observable in different specimens, some having the throat and under surface deep reddish
buff, while others have the same parts much lighter.
Its usual weight is from fifteen to twenty pounds, although many are smaller.