• Title
  File 1a: Hide of a small animal collected by Syms Covington, ca. 1831-1836
• Call number
  R 677
  
• Level of description
  file
• Date
  
  ca. 1831-1836
• Type of material
  Objects
• Reference code
  446184
• Issue Copy
  Digitised
• Physical Description
  1 animal skin - 9.9 x 5.8 cm.
  
• Scope and Content
  An animal coat, skin on one side and fur of varying shades of grey and white on the other
• Access Conditions
  
  Access via appointment
• Copying Conditions
  Out of copyright:
  Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
• Published Information
  Published in: Brendan Atkins. "Mr Darwin's shooter and the mystery marsupial skin", Explore : the Australian Museum magazine, volume 31 number 4, Summer December 2009 - February 2010, p. 04
• General note
  
  According to the inscription on paper accompanying the item, Helena Forde was sent the specimen by S. Covington, son of Syms Covington, and it was acquired by the Linnean Society of N.S.W. at a later unknown date.
  
  The paper in which the hide is wrapped bears the stamp of the Linnean Society of New South Wales and the number "4" as well as the text, "Syms - Covington Relics"
  
  " ... most likely to be a small marsupial known as Monito del Monte. This is a very significant species in that it is the only surviving member of a family of marsupials that appear to be more closely related to Australian Marsupials than South American ones." -- identification of the hide being investigated by S.Ingleby and M.Eldridge, Australian Museum (July-Aug 2007)
  Digital order no:Album ID : 852666
• Signatures / Inscriptions
  
  Handwritten on reverse of paper in which skin is housed, "Skin of some small / animal collected by late Syms Covington / in South America, during the Voyage / of the 'Beagle' - / Sent to me by his son / S. Covington of Pambula - / 13 July, 1904. H. Forde"
• Attributions / conjectures
  
  Probably Dromiciops gliroides
  
  Reference:
  Sandy Ingleby, Australian Museum, Feruary 2014
• Date note
  
  Dated from journey of the H.M.S. Beagle
• Name
  Beagle (Ship)
  Covington, Syms, 1813-1861
  
• Topic
  hides (skins)
  marsupials
  natural history
  
• Place
  South America
  
• Exhibited in
  
  Australian Journey Gallery - National Museum of Australia (October 2008 - December 2009)
  Australian Journey Gallery - National Museum of Australia
• Open Rosetta viewer
  IE1130286

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