rut: y.i.M/.i N/.I.V n AT//.. 



B87 



Th- animal i- .1 \- 



I'll.-, on account of the peculiar coloring of it* fur and 



the l>rL'htl\ <l.-lin.-'l -trijHjs which decorate its bark. 



The win-nil tint of the fur is u grayish-brown, washed with yellow, each hair being brown 

 at its Ius4- :mil yellow towards the point. Along the back runs a aerie* of boldly defined 

 tri]M>s. ii'-.nl\ Mark iii their color, beginning just U-himl the shouldnttd ending upon the 

 baaeof tli- tail. The number of them *trij>-s is \arimis, living from fourteen to seventeen on 

 an average. At tin- sjiot when- th.-y comim-no- they are very short, hut lengthen rapidly as 

 thr\ approach the tail, reaching their greatest length over the haunches, over which they are 

 drawn to some extent. In many specimens the stripes are forked upon the haunchea. 

 Tow a pi- the tail the stripes again become short, and upon the lrn.se of the tail are HO abbreviated 

 that they only cover its upper surface. The under jtart.s of the body are gray. The tail is 

 slightly compressed, and gradually tapers to its extremity. The eyes are large and full, and 

 tlii-ir rolor is Mark. The -<k'.' of tin- upi>er lip is white. 



TASMANIA* 



In this animal the marsupial bones are absent, their places being indicated by some fibrous 

 cartilages that are found in the locality which these bones might be expected to fill. The 

 character of the fur is not very fine, but it is short, rather woolly, and closely set upon the 

 animal's skin. In front of the eye there is a small Mark patch, which rims round the eye, 



and surrounds it with a dark line. 



i 



As MAT be imagined, from the very expressive name which has been appropriated to the 

 animal which is represented in the engraving, its character is not of the most amiable, nor its 

 appearance the most inviting. 



Few animals have deserved their popular titles better than the creature to whom the first 

 colonists of Van Pi'-m.-n's Land unanimously gave the name of N ATI VK DEVIL. The innate 

 and apparently ineradicable ferocity of the creature can hardly be conceived .-x. .-pt 1>\ those 

 who have had personal experience of its demeanor. Even in captivity its sull.-n and purpose- 

 less anger is continually excited, and the animal appears to be more ol>tn-- to kimlii.-ss than 

 any other creature of whom we have practical knowledge. Generally, a cai^I animal soon 

 learns to recognize its keeper, and to welcome the hand that supplies it with food ; but the 

 T \- M \ M \ \ I >i \ 1 1 seems to be diabolically devoid of gratitude, and attacks indiscriminately 

 every being that approaches it. 



I have frequently had opportunities of testing the character of this curious animal, and 



