53 



To the stuijenclous ocean that gives birth 

 And nourishment to everlasting millions 

 Of creatures, great and small, beyond the power 

 Of man to comprehend how they exist. 



—The rclican Island. 



Our stay on the peninsula was not long cnongli to do inuch 

 work relative to the animals. However, the few observations 

 made, notes taken, and specimens captured showed us that the 

 scrub kangaroo (Macropus-giganteus) is not yet extinct, but soon 

 will be. One evening when returning to camp after an excursion 

 in the Koppio Range a party of us drove up to a pair of these 

 poor animals just as the light was fading out of the western sky, 

 and they allowed us to approach wnthin 20 yards. While we 

 admired them they went on feeding, and the only remark made 

 w^as, "Poor things; their day Avill soon come." Mr. Kobcrt 

 Zietz captured a tine specimen of Les\ieur's rat kangaroo (B«>t- 

 tongia-lesneuri). The dama wallaby (Macropus-eugenii) were very 

 plentiful, and came out in numbers at sunset from the bi-oom 

 bush to feed. The dingo (Canis-dingo) is still in the district, there 

 is no doubt, for on the morning following our first night in camp 

 a large piece of roast beef was missing, and from impressions in 

 the soft soil there was ample proof that we had had canine 

 visitors. 



— Opossums. — 



Of opossums, or phaleanger, there are two species. The com- 

 mon opossum (Trichosurus-vulpecula) was captured and iden- 

 tified, and from information acquired from the settlers there is 

 little doubt that the ringtailed opossum rPsendochirus-peregrinus) 

 is fouiid there also. 



— Bats.— 



At dusk numbers of small bats came out to wage war against 

 our enemies the mosquitoes. I was unable to procure a specimen 

 for closer observation ; still I am sure the species was the little 

 bat (Vespertilio-pumilis)? 



— Wombats. — 

 The large burrows of these strange animals were seen on seve- 

 ral occasions, but being nocturnal animals it would be only after 

 (lark that they would come forth to feed. I fancy there is only 

 one species found on the Teninsular — Phascolomys-latifrons. They 

 live in large colonies in one warren, and often attain a great size, 

 and weigh 100 pounds at times. They are very powerful auimals, 

 and it is almost impossible for the strongest dogs to kill them. 

 Their flesh is much relished by the aborigines. I believe there is 



