J""^*'J Wkindokker AND Francis, Wild Life in Tasmania. 13 



mates seem to take their lot philosophically, without disputing 

 possession with those more fortunate, and live their lives in 

 single blessedness until the fates choose to provide them with 

 partners. 



The Ring-tail has, as enemies, the Native and the Tiger Cat, 

 from which it may escape by taking to a tree, where, in turn, 

 it may be attacked by birds of the Owl family. So used is 

 the Ring-tail to these enemies that it does not seem to com- 

 prehend any other danger, and therefore falls an easy victim 

 to the gun. It does not fear men, and during its nightly rambles 

 will climb over tents and huts, and, prompted perhaps by 

 curiosity, will even enter them. It is essentially an animal 

 of the night, but occasionally may be found in daytime sleeping 

 against the butt of a tree. 



Its nest is usually in some hollow in a tree, and is comfort- 

 ably bedded with leaves and bark of gum-trees torn to small 

 pieces. Occasionally it will build, high up in a tree in the depth 

 of the beech forest, an equally comfortable and commodious 

 nest of twigs, with an opening on one side, and will line it snugly 

 in the before-mentioned manner. The rigours of the severe 

 winters in these high altitudes incline it, however, to prefer 

 the more substantial shelter within the hollow of a gum-tree. 

 The time for nest-building seems to fall in two periods. The 

 first is after the pairing season ; the second, for which, however, 

 no definite proof can be offered, occurs after the weaning of the 

 young, which, according to climatic conditions, may occur 

 between the months of May and September, early snowfalls 

 and bad weather conditions retarding this event. About this 

 time the young Ring-tails are found alone in tlie nest, their 

 parents having apparently left it to them and in all probability 

 sought a dwelling in another locality. The young do not venture 

 out into the open gum forest until accustomed to the new order 

 of things. About this time one may find embryos in the 

 mother's pouch, which will always contain two. 



Amongst many people the belief is prevalent that the Ring- 

 tail is a tree-dweller that seldom ventures on thi' ground ; l)ut 

 as a matter of fact most of its time during its absence from the 

 nest is spent on the ground, unless the night be storm\-. If 

 its dwelling is surrounded by dense scrub, the animal will 

 move ahmg the branches and to])s of trees until open country 

 is reached, and descend in order to fiucl on grass and other 

 herbage. Having satislied its appetite, it will, fioni about 

 10 (/clock until midnight, sit (juietlv on a tree, .\fter this 

 time there will be a. general gambolling in the tn-es and on 

 tile gronnd, with further feeding on vnnig giini-lea\-es and other 

 juicv herbs, preferably tiiose that lia\e sprung up attei' a hush 

 lire the year before, and the early call of the Mountain Black 



