The Wilderness 



there are quite a number in the wilderness. Last summer one built 

 on the roof of our verandah, and every evening, as we sat having our 

 coffee in the dusk, we used to hear his little patter across the flat roof. 

 We could see him leap forth into a branch of the tall wattle which bent 

 towards the verandah, then up and across to the taller redgum beyond, 

 and away down into the heart of the wilderness. Sometimes when the 

 hot summer nights have driven off sleep I have heard him in 

 the dawn, scrambling back to bed, just as the birds have 

 been waking up. I must con- 

 fess that I felt very proud at 

 having such a rare and dis- 

 tinguished lodger. 



Occasionally we see the big 

 'possum. I am not quite sure 

 where he lives, though I know 

 two or three likely spots ; but 

 now and then he comes right out 

 into the open, and we both see 

 and hear him. One moonlight 

 night he was feeding on the 

 cedar berries not ten yards from 

 the verandah, and even if his 

 clawing and crunching of the 

 berries had not betrayed him, 

 he was quite visible as he hung 

 on the swaying bough amongst 

 the fern-like leaves, while every 



