METEMPSYCHOSIS. 131 



milk ; it uses the fore-feet in laying hold of the 

 branches when eating the young leaves of the 

 gum trees, {Eucalypti). This specimen was a 

 male, and the noise it uttered was a peculiar 

 soft barking sound. It sleeps during the day, 

 running about to feed at night, but when 

 roused will also feed during the day in its pre- 

 sent state of confinement. 



From many circumstances that have occurred, 

 there is some reason to think that the aborigines 

 of this country believe in the metempsychosis of 

 the departure of the soul of their brethren into 

 the bodies of certain animals ; but as the notes 

 I collected did not satisfy my mind, so as to as- 

 sert this as a positive fact, I mention it, for others 

 to procure information on the subject. That 

 something like it exists, appears in some degree 

 certain. In one instance, a native, at Beran 

 plains, desired a European not to kill a Gunar 

 which he was then chasing, but to catch it alive 

 as it was " him brother." The animal, however, 

 was killed, at which the native was much dis- 

 pleased, and would not eat any of it, but un- 

 ceasingly complained of the '' tumbling down 

 him brother." 



k2 



