﻿134 Allen's naturalist's library. 



The burrow has only a single entrance, and may be at once dis- 

 tinguished from that of Lesueur's Rat-Kangaroo. Krefft writes 

 that as the Rabbit-Bandicoot " often prefers entering the ground 

 on a hillside, and as hills, even of very slight elevation, are 

 often scarce on these extensive plains [of the Murray], it will 

 sometimes happen that the Peragale takes advantage of the 

 mound raised upon a departed black-fellow's grave, providing 

 for itself a habitation beneath the native's weary bones. Upon 

 this ground an investigator asserted some years ago that this 

 animal dug out the dead bodies of the natives and fed upon 

 them." Such a charge is, however, totally unfounded, the 

 Rabbit-Bandicoot feeding upon grass, fruits, and insects ; a large 

 grub which burrows at the foot of the acacias being said to be 

 a favouiite boiuie bouche. Its flesh is compared to that of the 

 Rabbit. 



A specimen formerly kept in the Gardens of the Zoological 

 Society of London, according to Waterhouse, "was very active 

 in the evening, but usually slept during the daytime, when, sit- 

 ting upon his haunches, with its head thrust between its hind 

 legs, it appeared like a large ball of fur. It was an exceedingly 

 savage animal, bit very severely, and would not readily unfix 

 its hold of anything it happened to seize with its teeth. When 

 walking, the hind legs were only used, and these were very 

 widely separated. The tail assisted slightly in supporting the 

 body, which was but little raised in front." The males some- 

 what exceed the females in size. 



II. WHITE-TAILED RABBIT-BANDICOOT. PERAGALE LEUCURA. 



Feragak leucuni, Thomas, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 5, p. 

 397 (1887), and Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 225 (1888). 



Characters. — Probably smaller than the last ; form slender ; fur 



