OSJPHRABTER U f m iH H IB „ ft««
HuUmancUl I Wtvfam
OSPHRANTER ANTILOPINUS, Gould.
Red Wallaroo.
H e a d o f a M a l e , l i f e -s i z e , a n d o f a F e m a l e , s e d u c e d .
T h e Red Wallaroo, of the Cobourg Peninsula, a noble species, second only in colour and
structure to the Osphranter rufus, must for ever form a conspicuous object among the indigenous
quadrupeds of Australia. Its bare mufflle at once indicates it to be a less browzing
animal than the Macropus major; while the structure of its feet and toes equally indicate
that stony and rocky districts are the situations in which it is destined to dwell. Much
disparity occurs in the size of the sexes, the female being very much smaller than the male;
the accompanying illustration, however, does not portray the bead of the female so large
as it really is ; on the other band, the bead of the adult male is the size of life. Fierce,
bold, and even dangerous is this powerful animal. Its native rocks afford it partial protection
; but it is one of the species which will soon be extirpated when Northern Australia.
becomes peopled by miners or stockholders.
The following Plate gives reduced figures of this fine species, and the accompanying letterpress
a detailed account of its history and economy.