Mil VllKVACE. 



pLains, would often point oiit the pricking of an 

 Opossum's nails on the bark of a Eucalyptus or other 

 tree, and indicate by his actions that in yonder hole, 

 liigh up, was sleeping an Opossum, a Phalangista^ or 

 a Flying Petaurus. Even the objects brought to 

 our bush-fires were enough to incite a desire for a 

 more extended knowledge of Australia's Mammals; 

 for numerous were the species of Kangaroos and 

 Opossums that were nightly roasted and eaten by 

 these children of nature. Perchance a half-charred 

 log, or the heated hollow branch of a EucalypUis, 

 would send forth into the lap of one or other of 

 the surrounding guests the Acrohates pygmmus, the 

 white-footed Ilapalotis, or other small quadruped. 

 TiYcd by a long and laborious day's walk under a 

 burning sun, I frequently encamped for the night by 

 tlie side of a river, a natural pond, or a water-hole, 

 and before retiring to rest not unfrequently stretched 

 my weary body on the river's bank ; while thus re- 

 posing, the surface of the water was often disturbed 

 by the little concentric circles formed by the OrnitJiO' 

 rhynchus^ or perliaps an Echidna came trotting up 

 towards me. Wiih such scenes as these continually 

 around me, is it surprising that I sliould have enter- 

 tained the idea of collecting examples of tlie in- 

 digenous Mammals of a country whose ornitholo- 

 gical productions T had gone out expressly to in- 

 vestigate] To have attempted to a(;quire a know- 

 hnlge of more than the Birds and Mammals would 

 have been unwise ; still I was not ins(Misible to 

 tlie interest which attaclies to its insects and lo its 



