﻿ig± Allen's naturalist*s library. 



Occasionally it was offered Beetles of a species that is found 

 under the porcupine clumps, but though these disappeared 

 from the box, it is not certain that they were actually eaten. 

 Ants, also, were tried with a previous specimen, but it seemed 

 as if it was the Notorydes which ran the chance of being eaten. 

 Strong support is afforded to the suggestion that the ' witchetty' 

 forms a part, at least, of its diet by the fact that, as previously 

 observed, acacias are plentiful in the sand-hills, which seem to 

 be the natural haunt of the animal, and the larva in question 

 are found in these roots at a depth of a foot or more. The 

 suggestion is also confirmed by the statements of the natives 

 and by the observations of Mr. Bishop himself, who found 

 traces of underground burrowings around the stems of the 

 acacias. Still it is not clear how the ' witchetties,' which are 

 buried in the wood, are dislodged." 



The writer then goes on to say that when inspected in its 

 box, the Ur-quamata " would usually be found lying curled up 

 in the sand, but not covered by it, and when the hand was put 

 down immediately in front the little animal would climb into it 

 and claw it all over. It seemed quick of hearing, and always 

 awakened immediately on lifting the lid of the box. A very 

 slight whistling noise was sometimes made while the specimen, 

 kept so long in captivity, was burrowing about in the box ; but 

 it was not certain whether this was a respiratory or a true voice 

 sound ; and a previous specimen was heard, when held, to make 

 a faint chirping like that of a newly-hatched chick. None of 

 the other specimens, however, emitted any sound that was 

 audible. 



"Whenever the sand was changed by a fresh, warm, and 

 moist supply the animal immediately commenced to burrow, 

 and on warm sunny days when it was let out in the open it 

 would, if the sand were hard, run a little way fairly quickly ; 

 but wherever the surface was soft it would begin burrowing 



