Identifier: handbooktomarsup00lydekk (find matches)
Title: A hand-book to the marsupialia and monotremata
Year: 1896 (1890s)
Authors: Lydekker, Richard, 1849-1915
Subjects: Marsupials Monotremes
Publisher: London : E. Lloyd
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
zzled greyish-brown. Length of head and body about 38inches. Distribution.—Tasmania, and the islands of Bass Straits. In remarking on its inferior size, as compared with its cousinof the mainland, Mr. Thomas observes that this is an instanceof the reversal of the prevalent rule that the Mammals of Tas-mania exceed in dimension their nearest aUies inhabiting con-tinental Australia. Habits.—Like most Marsupials, the Wombats are essentiallynocturnal animals, remaining concealed throughout the day intheir subterranean quarters, from whence they issue forth atnight to feed. They are the only members of the Diprotodontdivision of the order which are thoroughly fossorial, and itappears that they generally excavate their own dwellings in theground, although they may take advantage of natural clefts orholes. Their food consists partly of grass and other herbage,but mainly of roots, which their powerful front teeth are ad-mirably adapted to gnaw. From specimens kept in confine- X I—I X 0.
Text Appearing After Image:
<: PQO THE WOMBATS. 127 ment, it appears that the female usually produces from threeto four young at a birth, which are tended with great care andsolicitude, until such time as they are able to shift for them-selves. By no means active in their movements, and shufflingalong with an awkward gait which calls to mind the progressionof a young Bear, the Wombats are gentle and somewhat stupidin disposition, even at times allowing themselves to be capturedand carried off without making the least attempt at resistance.If, however, their anger be once roused, they can bite fiercely,and inflict severe wounds. Although both the Common Wom-bat and the Tasmanian species utter no sound but a kind ofhiss, the next species is said to give vent to a kind of groan. Writing of the habits in captivity of one of the first examplesbrought to England, Sir Everard Home observes that theanimal burrowed in the ground whenever it had an oppor-tunity, and covered itself in the earth with surprising quickness

Note About Images