THE NATURALtST IN AUSTRALIA. 169 



Order there is also an extensive series of carnivora, the largest 

 being the Tasmanian Wolf (or "Tiger," as he is named on 

 account of his striped body). A large price is set upon the head 

 of this animal owing to his destructiveness amongst the sheep. 

 I knew a case in which one "tiger" killed a dozen sheep in one 

 night. He was afterwards slain by a shepherd, who showed me 

 the skin, measuring yft. 6in. from nose to tail. 



Another creature, called the "Tasmanian Devil," made 

 himself extremely objectionable in my neighbourhood as a 

 robber of poultry roosts, and extremely difficult of capture. 

 Then there are the Opossums, whose fur is getting more 

 valuable every year, the beautiful little " Flying Squirrel," 

 endowed with a membrane, uniting its fore and hind limbs, 

 which can be employed as a parachute in leaping from tree to 

 tree, and the Wombats, queer, drowsy things that readily take 

 to human society. This character belongs also to the Koala, 

 which resembles a pretty little bear, and is a favourite pet of 

 Australian children, although its nocturnal tastes make it playful 

 at wrong times, and lead it to undesirable excursions up your 

 curtains and bookshelves. 



Reptiles. Of the crocodiles of Northern Australia it is 

 noteworthy that one species (C. porosus) is found both in 

 Queensland and India. Lizards are well represented, some 

 attaining a considerable size. Perhaps the most remarkable is 

 the big "Frilled Lizard," of which I have a skin for your 

 inspection. The Monitors (commonly called " Go-anners ") are 

 very numerous, and sometimes very large. 



Then as to snakes. In Australia they are certainly " common 

 objects of the country" unless you happen to be looking for 

 one with a stick. Very beautiful creatures some of them are, 

 notably the Black Snake (Hoplocephalus superbus}, with its scales 

 of burnished jet glancing in the sun, and its pretty flattened 

 neck inflated to the breadth of a man's hand whilst it sits up to 

 look at you, the huge Diamond and Carpet snakes (varieties of 

 Python spilotis], harmless and easily domesticated, the striped and 

 agile Tiger-snake, by no means so harmless, the ubiquitous litile 



