﻿THE DASVURES. 163 



quently caught in baited fish-traps left bare by the tide, or 

 hauled up during bad weather." 



In writing of this species, Krefft observes that "these little 

 creatures, with their fierce disposition, are familiar to the 

 greater number of colonists. They inhabit our forests ; but 

 prefer to take up their abode with civilised man when they find 

 out that he keeps plenty of meat about his habitation, or rears 

 poultry. They are very savage for their size, and five of them 

 kept in a cage without sustenance for a day only, had almost 

 reduced themselves to the state of the famous tabbies of Kil- 

 kenny. The fact is, they devoured each other till only a part 

 remained, and the savage look and watchfulness of these two 

 animals was amazing to behold. 



" They are stubborn in the extreme, and appear to care 

 about nothing. We have noticed them to come quite uncon- 

 cerned into a tent at night and take up a cosy place near the 

 chimney, from which a fire-stick only could dislodge them. 

 Another case was mentioned not many days ago, when one of 

 the Tiger-Cats actually faced a half-caste man, who was terror- 

 stricken, and ran away. A real aboriginal native, one of the 

 old tribes, would have made short work of such an adversary ; 

 but these poor people have now almost died out, and the fe\\ 

 still lingering behind cannot even remember the animals which 

 their ancestors hunted." 



Like its kindred, this Dasyure is very destructive to birds, 

 especially poultry, while it also consumes large numbers of eggs. 

 Living during the day in hollow logs, log-fences, or holes in 

 the ground, these marauders sally forth at night to seek their food 

 on the ground. Here they are frequently put up by the do^s 

 of the sportsmen in pursuit of Phalangers, and when chased 

 they nearly always take refuge in the smaller trees, but rarely 

 ascending the gum-trees. The belts of timber on the edges of 

 the swanips are among their favourite haunts ; while, as already 



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