A hand-book to the marsupialia and monotremata

Preface

The volume which Mr. Lydekker has written will, I believe, be found to be very useful to the student of Mammalia. The volumes of Gould’s “Mammals of Australia” are both rare and costly, and the object of the “Naturalist’s Library” is to give, within a handy compass, a scientific, and yet popular, account of the Australian Mammals. For the scientist, Mr. Oldfield Thomas’s “ Catalogue of the Marsupialia and Monotremata in the collection of the British Museum ” is the indispensable compendium of our knowledge of these two Orders up to the year 1888. During the six years which have since elapsed, a few new species have been described, and these have been added in the present work by Mr. Lydekker, whose notes on the fossil species, on which he is one of the first authorities, lend an additional interest to the volume.

Especial care has been bestowed upon the plates. Those originally published in “ Jardine’s Naturalist’s Library ” were very well executed, and in the present issue the whole of the animals figured have been re-coloured from actual specimens in the British Museum, while figures of some of the

VI

PREFACE.

remarkable forms discovered since the first publication of the “ Naturalist’s Library ” have been added. The woodcuts have also been re-drawn from actual specimens. The Editor acknowledges with pleasure the pains which Mr. Lydekker has taken to give a full account of the two Orders contained in the present volume, and also the liberality of the publishers in the matter of the illustrations.

R. BOWDLER SHARPE.

Introduction

In few, if in .any group of Mammals, is our knowledge of species and genera in such a satisfactory condition as is the case with the Marsupials and Monotremes. This is entirely due to the labours of Mr. Oldheld Thomas, of the British Museum, whose results are published in the “Catalogue” so often referred to in the course of the following pages.

Under such circumstances, the task of writing a i)opular monograph of the groups in question has been a comparatively easy one ; and the present volume must be regarded as little more than an abridgment of Mr. d'homas’s work put into a more popular guise, with the omission of certain osteological and other more technical details. Since the publication of his “Catalogue” in 1888, a few new species have been discovered or described, which are inserted in their proper places in this book, by far the most interesting of these being the Marsupial Mole, representing a type of the Order previously quite unknown. Moreover, since the [)ast history of the Marsupials has an important bearing on their present very restricted geographical distribution, it has been felt that no treatise on the group would be complete without some reference to this subject. Accordingly, a section of the work has been devoted to the consideration of some of the more generally interesting extinct representatives of that Order, while it

\-lll

I.NIKODL’CTJON.

also includes the little that is known of the geological history of the M )notrenies, and likewise takes cognisance of a remarkable extinct group believed to have some affinity with the latter. In a work of the present nature it would, however, obviously be inadvisable to treat of the fossil forms in the detail with which their recent allies are described, and, accordingly, nothing more than a general sketch has been attempted.

In marked contrast to the fulness of our knowledge of the Marsupials and Monotremes from the point of view of the systematist, is our deficiency with regard to their habits and mode of life, this being especially the case in respect to the breeding-habits of the Monotremata. It is not to the credit of the present generation that the working zoologist has for the most part to rely for his knowledge of the habits of the greater number of Marsupials upon observations — admirable enough in their way — published many years ago, and the Author cannot but hope that the appearance of the present little volume may act as a stimulus to those having the opportunities of increasing our knowledge on this subject, information being most specially desirable with regard to the mode of life of the smaller members of the group.

R LYDEKKER.

SYSTEMATIC INDEX.

ORDER MARSUPIALIA r A<j K I

FAMILY MACROPODID.^ ...

I. M.-vcRorus, Shaw

1. giganteus (Zimm. )

2. antilopinus (Gould)

3. rolaistus, Gould

4. isabellinus (Gould)

5. rufus (Desm.)

6. magnus, Owen ...

7. ualabatus (Less, and Garn.)

8. ruficollis (Desm.)

9. grcyi (Gray)

10. dorsalis (Gray) ...

11. parryi, Bennett ...

12. irma (Jourd.)

13. agilis (Gould)

14. co.xeni (Gray)

15. stigmaticus (Gould)

16. wilco.xi (McCoy)

17. brunii (Sclireber)

18. brown! (Ramsay)

19. thetidis (Less.) ...

20. eugenii (Desm.)

21. parnia, Waterh.

22. billardieri (Desm.)

23. brachyurus (Q. and G.)

II. Petrogai.e, Gray

1. penicillata (Gray)

2. lateralis, Gould

3. brachyotis (Gould)

4. inornata, Gould

14, 254

... 15

... 19

... 20 ... 22

... 22 ... 24

... 24

... 26 ... 29

... 29

... 30

X

SYSTEMATIC INDEX.

5. conciiina, Gould

6. xanthopus, Gray

III. OxYcnOGALE, Gray

1. unguifera (Gould)

2. frenata (Gould) ...

3. lunata (Gould) ...

I\'. Lagorciiestes, Gould

1. conspicillatu.^, Gould

2. leporoides (Gould)

3. hirsutus, Gould

\'. Dorcopsis, Schl. and Mull. ...

1. muelleri (Schl. and Mull.)

2. luctuosa (D’Albert.)

3. macleayi, Mikl. Mad. ...

VI. Denoroi.agu.s, Schl. and AIull.

1. lumholtzi, Collett

2. ursinus, Schl. and Mull.

3. inustus, Schl. and Midi.

4. dorianus, Ramsay

VII. Lagostrophus, Thomas ...

I. fasciatus, (Peron and Lesueur) \T1I. P0TOROU.S, Desm

1. platyops (Gould)

2. gilbert! (Gould) ...

3. tridactylus (Kerr)

IX. Caeoprymnus, Thoma.s

1. campestris (Gould)

X. 15ettox(;ia, Gray ...

(. lesueuri (Q. n.nd G.)

2. cuniculus (Ogilby)

3. gaimardi (Desm.)

4. penicillata, Gray XL .Kpypry.mxus, Garrod

I. rufescens (Gray)

XII. 1 1 VPSiPRYMXonoN, Ramsay r. moschatus, Ramsay

I'AMILV PlIALANGERID/E

I. cinereus (Goldf. )

57 5«

61 61 61

66 66 67

71 71 73 73

SYSTEMATIC INDEX.

x;

I’AGK

XIV. Phalangek, Storr

XV. Trichosurus, Less. 87

XVI. PSEUDOCHIRUS, Ogilby 92

XVII. Petauroides, Thomas ... 100

XVIII. Dactylopsila, Gray ' 102

2. palpator, A. Milne-Edw. 103

XIX. Petaurus, Shaw 104

XX. Gymnobelideus, McCoy no

XXL Dromicia, Gray ... in

XXII. DiST.iiCHURUS, Peters 116

XXIII. Acrobates, Desm 117

SYSTEMATIC .INDEX.

xii

XXIV. Tarsipes, Gerv. and Verr.

PAOK

... 119 ... 120

FAMILY PHASCOLOMYID^.

XXV. Phascolomys, Geoffr. ...

1. mitchelli, Owen

2. ursinus (Shaw) ...

3. latifrons, Owen...

FAMILY PERAMELID.F

XXVI. Peragale, Gray

1. lagotis (Reid)

2. leucura, Thomas

XXVII. Pera.mei,es, Geoffr

1. bougainvillii, Q. and G.

2. gunni, Gray

3. nasuta, Geoffr. ...

4. longicauda, Peters and Doria . . .

5. raffrayana, Milne-Edw....

6. broadbenti, Ramsay

7. doreyana, Q. and G.

8. cockerelli, Ramsay

9. macrura, Gould ...

10. aurata, Ramsay ... ...

11. obesula (Shaw)

12 moresbyensis, Ramsay ...

XXVIII. Chceropus, Ogilby

I. castanotis, Gray...

... 128

... 132

... 132 ... 134

FAMILY DASYURID^

XXIX. Thylacinus, Temm. ...

I. cynocephalus (Harris) ...

XXX. Sarcophilus, F. Cuv. ...

I. ursinus (Harris)

XXXI. Dasyurus, Geoffr.

1. maculatus (Kerr)

2. gracilis, Ramsay ...

3. viverrinus (Shaw)

4. geoffroyi, Gould

5. hallucatus, Gould

6. albopunctatus, Schl.

SYSTEMATIC ’INDEX.

xiii

PAGE

XXXII. PhascolOGALE, Tenim. i66

6. dorsalis, Peters and Doria 170

XXXIII. Sminthopsis, Thomas 177

XXXIV. Antechinomys, Krefft 181

I. laniger (Gould) 182

XXXV. Myrmecobius, Waterh. 182

FAMILY NOTORYCTIDAi 187

XXXVI. Notoryctes, Stirling 187

FAMILY DIDELPIIYID/E 193, 271

XXXVII. Didelphys, Linn 196, 271

3. nudicaudata, Geoffr 201

11. pusilla, Desm 21 1

12. grisea, Desm 212 x.v

SYSTKMATIC INDEX

Didelphys, 'L\\m. — {coiitinue(f).

13. velutina, Wagner

14. elegans, Waterh. ...

15. dimidiata, Wagner

16. brevicaudata, Erxl.

17. domestica, Wagner

18. scalops, Thomas ...

19. henseli, Thomas

20. sorex (Hensel) ... ,..

21. americana (Mull.) ...

22. iheringi, Thomas ...

23. unistriata, Wagner ...

XX.WIII. Chironectes, Illiger

I. minimus (Zimm. ) ...

ORDER MONOTREMATA ;..

I. anatinus (Shaw)

FAMILY ECIIIDNID^

XL. Echidna, Cuvier

I. aculeata (Shaw)...

XLI. Proechidna, Gerv.

1. bruijni (Peters and Doria)

2. nigro-aculeata, Roth.schild

FOSSIL MARSUPIALIA

FAMILY MACROPODID/E

A. Palorchestes, Owen

I. azael, Owen

B. Procoptodon, Owen

1. goliah (Owen) ...

2. rapha, Owen

3. otuel (Owen)

C. Sthenurus, Owen ...

I. atlas (Owen)

D. Macropus, Shaw

1. titan, Owen

2. ferragus (Owen)...

3. altus (Owen)

PAGE

... 224

... 230 ... 231 ... 231

... 249

••• 253

••• 253 ••• 253 ••• 253

... 254 ... 254

••• 255

••• 255

SYSTEMATIC INDEX.

XV

D. Macropus, Shaw. — {continued).

4. cooperi (Owen) ...

5. brehus (Owen) ...

6. roechus (Owen) ...

7. anak, Owen

8. minor (Owen) ...

E. Triclis, De Vis

I. oscillans, De \^is

PAGE

FAMILY PHALANGERIDAi ...

F. Thylacoleo, Owen

I. carnifex, Owen ...

FAMILY DIPROTODONTIDAi

G. Diprotodon, Owen

I. australis, Owen ...

... 258 ... 259 ... 259

... 261 ... 261 ... 261

FAMILY NOTOTHERIID^ ...

H. Nototherium, Owen I. mitchelli, Owen...

... 263 ... 263 ... 263

FAMILY PPIASCOLOMYID^

I. Phascolonus, Owen

I. gigas (Owen)

J. SCEPARNODON, Owen

I. ramsayi, Owen ...

FAMILY DASYURID/E

K. Thylacinus, Temm

I. spelxus, Owen ...

L. Sarcophilus, F. Cuvier

I. laniarius (Owen)

M. Prothylacinus, Amegh. ...

I. patagonicus, Amegh.

N. Amphiproviverra, Amegh.

I. manzaniana (Amegh.) ...

O. Peratheutes, Amegh.

I. pungens, Amegh.

FAMILY DIDELPHYID^ ...

P. Didelphys, Linn

FAMILY TRICONODONTIDAi

... 271 ... 271

••• 273

XVI

SYSIEMATIC INDEX.

Q. Triconodon, Owen

FAMILY SPALACOTHERIIDiE

R. Spal.vcotherium, Owen

FAMILY AMPHITIIERIIDyE...

S. Phascolotherium, Ow'en ...

T. Amphilestes, Owen

U. A.mblotherium, Owen

PAOK

... 275

FAMILY DROMATHERIID^ V. Dromatherium, Emmon.s ...

FOSSIL MONOTREMATA ...

... 277 ... 277

... 279

FAMILY ORNITIIORIIYNCHID^ W. Ornithorhynchus, Blumenb.

I. agilis, De Vis

... 279 ... 279 ... 279

FAMILY ECIIIDNID^

X. Echidn.a., Cuv.

I. oweni, Krefft

... 279 ... 279 ... 279

ORDER MULTITUBERCULATA

... 280

FAMILY TRITYLODONTID.E Y. Tritylodon, Owen

... 282 ... 282

FAMILY BOLODONTID/E Z. Bolodon, Owen

... 283 ... 283

FAMILY POLYMASTODONTID/E ...

A. Poly.mastodon, Cope

... 283 ... 283

FAMILY PLAGIAULACID^ B. Plagiaulax, Falconer

... 284 ... 284

LIST OF PLATES.

I. — Great Grey Kangaroo ...

II. — Black-tailed Wallaby

III. — Red-necked ,,

IV. — Parry’s ,,

V. — Dama ,,

VI. -Brush-tailed Rock- Wallaby

VII. — Queensland Tree- Kangaroo

VIII. — Common Rat-Kangaroo

IX. — Brush-tailed ,,

XI. — Common Phalanger

XII. — Common Ring-tailed Phalanger

XIII. — Tasmanian ,, ,,

X^IV. — Taguan Flying Phalanger XV. — Squirrel ,, ,,

XVI. — Lesser ,, „

XVII. — Common Dormouse Phalanger.

XVIII. — Pigmy Flying Phalanger XIX. — Tasmanian Wombat XX. — Common Rabbit-Bandicoot XXL — Gunn’s Bandicoot XXII. — Long-nosed Bandicoot ...

XXIII. — Short-nosed ,,

XXIV. — Tasmanian Thylacine ...

XXV. — Spotted-tail Dasyure

XXVI. — Common ,,

XXVII. — Yellow-footed Pouched-Mouse XXVIII. — Brush-tailed ,,

XXIX. — Common ,,

XXX. — Banded Ant-eater XXXI. — Marsupial Mole ...

XXXII. — Common Opossum XXXIII. — Rat-tailed ,,

XXXIV.— Woolly XXXV. — Three-Striped Opossum...

XXXVI.— Water „ ...

XXXVII.— Duck-bill

XXXVIII. — Common Echidna

Macropus giganteus.

,, lulabatus,

,, rujicollis.

„ parry i.

, , eugenii.

Petrogale penicillata.

Dorcopsis lumholtzi.

Potorous tridactylus.

Bettongia penicillata.

Phascolarctus cinereus, Trichosurus vulpecula.

Pseudochirus peregrinus.

,, cooki.

Petauroides volans.

Petaurus sciureus.

„ breviceps.

Drotnicia nana.

Acrobates pygmceus.

Phascolomys ursinus.

Peragale lagotis.

Perameles gunni.

, , nasuta.

, , obesula, Tkylacinus cynocephalus.

Dasyums maculatus.

, , viverrinus.

Phascologale Jlavipes.

, , penicillata.

Sminthopsis murina.

Myrmecobius fasciatus.

Notoryctes typhlops.

Didelphys marsupialis.

,, nudicaudata.

,, lanigera.

, , atnericana.

Chironectes minimus.

Ornithorhynchus anatinus.

Echidna aculeata.

I

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ALLEN'S NATURALLST'S LIBRARY.

M AM M ALS.

MARSUPIALS AND MONOTREMES.