A New Species of Wallaby.—In January last Mr. Bernard H. Woodward, the
Director of the W.A. Museum, received from Mr. John T. Tunney a number of
mammal and bird skins collected on the islands off the south coast. Among
these was a handsome rock-wallaby, which did not in certain respects,
agree with any known wallaby, as far as could be ascertained from the
specimens and descriptions available in this State, so Mr. Woodward
proposed to call it “hacketti,” in honour of Dr. J. W. Hackett, M.L.C.,
the chairman of the committee. Before making this public he sent specimens
to Mr. Oldfield Thomas, of the British Museum, who confirms his views, and
has printed a full description with the detailed measurements, in the
“Annals of Natural History.” Petrogale lateralis hacketti was found on
Mondrain Island, to the south of Esperance. The total length of head and
body is 660 mm., and of the tail 540 ; its skull is also much larger than
that of P. lateralis, and there is a marked difference in the dentition,
especially in the premolars or secators. Mounted specimens will be on view
in the Museum next week.
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