i6 \Vi:iM)oRi-ER AM) rKANCis, Wild Life ill Tasmania. [voU xxxvil. 



from dull black to shining umbcr-hrown, from light rufous to 

 the deepest black, these differences often being noticed 

 occurring between the mother and its young even when the 

 latter is in the pouch fixed to the teat. 



The Brush Possums, unlike the Ring-tails, rarely appear in 

 pairs. It is a roamer in the widt'st sense, and one may follow 

 its footprints in the snow for mik's. It has no definite home, 

 nsting in a tree or any other convenient phice that offers 

 shelter, and it may be found in daytime sleeping against a 

 rock or tree, sometimes singly, or several together. As far as 

 we know it never builds itst'lf a nest. 



It i> the most inquisitive^ of animals. Everything unusual 

 must be inspected by it, and should it come along a game 

 track, where a wire snare is waiting for an unsuspecting kangaroo, 

 the Hrush must raise its body and investigate the strange 

 contrivance, wherefrom it frequently omits to withdraw its 

 head before moving on, with the result that its body comes 

 to occupy the position intended for tlie larger animal. If a 

 stick is firmly fixed in the ground on a game run. the next day 

 you may possibl\- find that this has b(>en usrd during tin- 

 night as a maypole bv tin- Brush. It is a frreiuciil \isitor to 

 camps, and among the vegetables will refuse nothing but 

 onions. It is inordinately fond of sweets, and an empty jam 

 tin will often be its undoing, for in trying to reach to the 

 bottom it will insert its head too far, and find it inq^ossible to 

 withdraw from the awkward situation. 



It has no enemies, with the exce})tion, perhaps, of the 

 Wedge-tailed Eagle, to which it may fall a i)rey through its 

 undomestic habits. It is no figlitcr. though endowed with 

 fiM'midable claws and a strong set of teeth. Stirpiiscd iiy dogs, 

 it will alwavs seek to rscape on the; groimd instead of b}- 

 taking to a tree, with the result that it is generally ovet taken 

 and the fur ruined. While still warm, it is almost imjjossible 

 to skin a J-Jnish without detriment to its fur, and in carrying 

 one freshl\ -killed the ( hances are that this will be seriously 

 damaged. 



()nl\' when suddenK' confronted with the aictyleiie light 

 will the inrush I'ossum remain (piietly sitting on a limb ; other- 

 wise it will descend from the tree and take to Might on (he 

 ground, but, unliki- the Ring-tail, it will refuse to be hyi)noti/,(;(i. 

 Onlv orcasionalh" will it reveal its blood-red, flashing e\cs by 

 gazing momentarih' at the lamj). If it be wounded, howcxcr, 

 or even missed b\- gunshot, it will immediately realize the 

 danger of its position, and. no matter how many dogs are 

 waiting unch-r the tree, will run down iicid liist and try to 

 escape, covering the ground in jinnjis not imlike those made by 

 the ilomestic cat, though with lis> agility. 



