70 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXIV. 



Geofif. — After our arrival in 1846, it was many years before we 

 noticed Water-Rats on Jackson's Creek, and, as we used to fish 

 early and late whenever we had an opportunity, tliey must have 

 been scarce. However, they afterwards became very plentiful, 

 for a friend trapped no less than twelve dozen in a comparatively 

 short time. It is easily captured with a fish-baited rabbit trap, 

 set close to the water. 



The Dingo, C«nis dingo, Blumenb. — The Messrs. Page, pioneers 

 of 1836, stated Dingoes or Native Dogs were the greatest troul)le 

 they had to contend with on their arrival in the district, and they 

 destroyed many of them with set guns In 1846 there were still 

 enough of them about to cause annoyance to flockmasters. My 

 father recounted a day with the hounds in 1848 when two were 

 killed in Brodie's Forest, between Emu and Deep Creeks, about 

 four miles from our homestead. In 1849 my father claimed to 

 have killed the last Dingo in our vicinity with a poisoned bait. 

 One peculiarity of Native Dogs is the proneness to follow a 

 horseman or vehicle. Such an instance occurred to me in 1847, 

 near the present township of Bulla. 



The Brush-tailed Phascologale, Phascologah penicillata, 

 Shaw. — This handsome little animal, so remarkable for its 

 activity, was rare, even in 1S46, on Red Stone Hill and Glencoe, 

 and it cannot be less than fifty years since the last was noted in 

 those localities. In 1882 one was seen near Lancefield, and 

 another, some years after, on the Dividing Range, towards 

 Newham. In each case the animals had ensconced themselves in 

 buildings, between the rafters and the roof. 



The Pouched-Mice. — We had two kinds— the Thick-tailed, 

 Sminthopsis crassicaudata, Old., and the Brown, Phascologale 

 sivainsoni, Waterh. The latter was very rare, only one having 

 been captured by a shepherd. The Thick-tailed Pouched-Mouse 

 was met with as far back as I can remember. They were often 

 found on turning over a heap of loose stones. Both kinds had 

 handsome, fox-like heads. 



The Common Dasyure or Native Cat, Dasyurus viverrimis, 

 Shaw. — In 1846 this animal was very numerous, but later at 

 various intervals they seemed to be infested with a burrowing 

 maggot which brought them almost to the verge of extinction, 

 and it was some time before they again regained their numerical 

 strength, but I do not think the attacks of this parasite would 

 alone have sufficed to complete their extinction. As boys we 

 waged incessant war against Native Cats, and more especially 

 when their skins became valuable. Later on, when rabbits 

 became plentiful, and had to be trapped, many Native Cats were 

 caught in the traps. Up to 1875 they were fairly numerous on 

 what was our old station, but for the last twenty years I have not 

 seen one about their old haunts. In 1883 a Tiger Cat, D. 



