BETTONGIA CUNICULUS.
Tasmanian Jerboa Kangaroo.
Spec. Char.—B e tt. tellere modice longo, at non permolli, Juscescenti-cinereo, albo irrorato ; pedibus fuscescenti-albis; cauda
ad basin pallidejfused, deinde saturate fusca ; ad apicem alba ; auribus lemter fla w marginatis.
Descr.—Fur rather long and not very so ft; general colour brownish grey, pencilled with white; feet brownish white;
tail well clothed with pale brown hairs gradually passing into dark brown near the extremity, and tipped with
pure white; margin o f the ears slightly tinged with yellowish ; under surface of the body dirty white; fur both
o f the upper and under surface grey at the base.
Male.
feet, inches.
Length from the nose to the extremity of the t a i l .....................................2 6
„ of t a i l ......................................................................................................1 1
„ „ tarsus and toes, including the n a i l .................................................... 4-f-
„ „ arm and hand, including the nails .................................... 3f-
„ „ face froih the tip of the nose to the base of the ear . . . 3-j-
^ „ e a r s .......................................................................................................... 1+
Hypsiprymnus Cuniculus, Ogilby in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VI. p. 63.
Forest R a t, colonists o f Van Diemen’s Land.
T h i s species is a native o f Van Diemen’s Land, and so far as I am aware is coniined to that island ; on this point,
however, from our imperfect knowledge o f the zoology o f Australia and the neighbouring islands, I cannot speak with
certainty.
For the two fine specimens from which my figures were taken I am indebted to the kindness o f my esteemed friend
Ronald C. Gunn, Esq., now resident in Van Diemen’s Land, and who, as is well known, has largely contributed to our
knowledge of the natural productions o f that island, zoological as well as botanical.
This species differs from Bettongia penicillata in many particulars, among the most striking o f which are its much larger
size, the more lengthened form o f its head, and the conspicuous white tuft at the extremity o f the tail ; from all the
other species o f the genus yet discovered it offers still greater differences. Having compared my specimens with that
in the collection o f the Zoological Society, from which Mr. Ogilby took his description, and with another in the British
Museum, I am satisfied o f their identity. In both the British Museum and Zoological Society’s specimen the extremity
o f the tail and consequently the white tip is wanting ; hence the omission o f this important character in Mr. Ogilby’s
description.
Although very generally distributed over the island o f Van Diemen’s Land, the Tasmanian Jerboa Kangaroo is very
local, giving preference to the open, sandy or stony forest land rather than to the thick and humid brushes.