LAGORCHESTES CONSPICILLATA, Gould.
Spectacled Mare Kangaroo.
Spec. Char. —Lag-, tellere ut in Lepore timido; artubus parvis; cauda fe r e quoad longitudinem cum corpore cotequati;
capite corporeque supra fuscescentibus et flavescenti-albo nigroque adspersis; corporis partibus inferioribus sordide
albis ; lateribus ferrugineo-flavescentibus ; cauda pilis bretibus sordide albis pai'ce induta ; tarsis sordide albis ; auribus
intus pilis flavescenti-albis ; oculis pilis ferrugineis circumdatis ; oellere corporis superioris ad radicem nigro.
Descr.—Fur very long, dense, and rather soft to the touch ; on the back it is o f a black colour next the skin, yellowish
white towards the apex, shaded into deeper yellow still nearer to the point, and black at the point; on the lower
part o f the back the portion o f each hair, which is yellow on the back, is replaced by white, and there is an
oblique white mark on each side o f the rump; fur on the side o f the body is deep grey next the skin, brownish
yellow in the middle, followed by black, then whitish, and at the point black ; on the under surface o f the body
the fur is ash-coloured next the skin, and white externally, excepting on the sides o f the belly, where they are of
a rusty yellow hue externally; the hair on the upper surface of the head is black, freely pencilled with yellowish
white; a broad space round the eye is covered with bright rusty red hairs, and this hue, though less bright, is
extended backwards beneath the ear; lips and chin dirty white; throat white; ears very small and somewhat
pointed; internally they are clothed with whitish hairs, and externally with dirty white hairs on the apical
portion, but towards the base there is an admixture o f black; fore- and hind-legs and feet pale, the hairs being
dirty white at the point and brown next the skin ; tail slender, and being but sparingly clothed with short dirty
white bristly hairs, exhibits scales; on the under surface it is more densely clothed, and the hairs are longer and
o f a dirty yellowish hue.
Male.
feet, inches.
Length from the nose to the extremity of the t a i l « 2 8£
of t a i l ................................... ..................................................................... I It
„ „ tarsus and toes, including the n a i l ............................................. 5r
„ „ arm and hand, including the n a i l s ............................................. 3
„ „ face from the tip of the nose to the base of the ear . . . 3£
jg ear " ...................................................................... H
Lagorchestes conspicillatus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IX. p. 82.
I h a v e again to offer my thanks to the Officers of H.M.S. the Beagle for subjects they have contributed to my illustrations
o f Australian zoology, and especially for the loan o f two fine specimens o f this highly interesting Lagorchestes, the
second species' yet discovered o f this beautiful form. It is to Capt. Wickham and Mr. Bynoe that science is indebted
for its discovery. It was' procured on Barrow Island, which lies off the north-western coast o f Australia, about thirty
miles from the main land. The two specimens collected by those gentlemen are fortunately male and female, and hence
the subject is rendered so much the more complete. The specimen sent me by Captain Wickham has, by his desire, been
presented to the national collection at the British Museum, and his example will, I feel assured, be followed by my
esteemed friend Mr. Bynoe, as no exertion should be spared to render that collection, already so fine, as complete as
possible.
This species is rather less in size than the Lagorchestes Leporoides; from which it is distinguished by its fur being
more dense and harsh to the touch, by the extreme blackness o f the basal part o f the hair, by the shortness o f its ears,
by the want o f the black patch at the base o f the arm, and by the red colouring around the eyes being of a more brilliant
rusty hue than in that animal.
The sexes are alike in colour and size.