u6 DEL AGO A BAY. 



lose it altogether ; but to my delight I heard its 

 little feet pattering along the floor when I called 

 it, and it allowed me to replace it in its cage. 

 It would seize on my hand when I put it 

 between the bars, and holding it tightly, proceed 

 to lick all the fingers carefully one by one, 

 beginning with the thumb, making a pretty 

 little contented noise all the time. When it 

 had cleaned one finger to its satisfaction it would 

 push it petulantly away and proceed to another. 

 Its antics were very diverting ; it would arch 

 its back and fluff up its tail, pretending to be 

 alarmed, and go sideways and backwards like a 

 kitten, and roll over and over for pure fun. 



I had it nearly two years, and shortly before 

 my return to England was able to get it a young 

 female companion, which, however, I had not 

 time to tame. I took them both safely to the 

 Zoological Gardens in London, but unfortunately 

 neither survived the winter. The only draw- 

 back to keeping them is that if frightened they 

 emit a very powerful and unpleasant odour. 



The lovely little octodon, so familiar to visitors 



