1990 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY. 
called by the blacks, was first discovered by Mr. Coulthard, 
manager of some of the estates of the Willowic Pastoral Com- 
pany, who, on reaching his camp one evening on the Finke 
river, was attracted by certain peculiar and unfamiliar tracks. 
On following these up he found a Mole-like animal lying he- 
neath a tuft of porcupine-grass, or spinifex. Other specimens were 
subsequently obtained by Mr. Bishop in the same neighbour- 
hood, distant about a thousand miles from Adelaide; the country 
consisting of flats and dunes of red sand, covered with porcu- 
pine-grass and acacias, and the rainfall being small. Most of 
the specimens have been captured by the natives, who track 
them after rain, when their trail is conspicuous in the sand. 
The creature seems to be on the move only in warm 
weather, so that the short rainy season in the summer ap- 
pears to be the one most favourable for its capture. At such 
seasons it appears to be perpetually engaged in burrowing; 
‘emerging from the sand, it travels on the surface for a few 
feet, at a slowish pace, with a peculiar sinuous motion, the 
belly much flattened against the ground while it rests on the 
outsides of its fore paws, which are thus doubled in under it. 
It leaves behind it a peculiar sinuous triple track, the outer 
impressions, more or less interrupted, being caused by the 
feet, and the central continuous line by the tail, which seems 
to be pressed down inthe rear. . . . . Itenters the sand 
obliquely and travels underground either for a few feet or for 
many yards, not apparently reaching a depth of more than two 
or three inches, for whilst underground its progress can often 
be detected by a slight cracking or moving of the surface over 
its position. In penetrating the soil, free use, as a borer, is 
made of the conical snout with its horny protecting shield, and 
the powerful scoop-like fore paws are also early brought into 
play. As it disappears from sight, the hind limbs, as well, are 
used to throw the sand backwards, which falls in again behind 
