CHAPTER XVII 



NOTES ON THE FAUNA OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 



FOR the purpose of fixing the localities of the animals 

 described in these notes, I have divided the rambling 

 journey described in the last chapters into divisions. The 

 ground passed over during the first part of the journey I 

 term the Swan River district, although it extends inland 

 fully three hundred miles, and may cover an area that 

 extends to the square of that distance. The second part 

 of the journey is denominated the Champion Bay district, 

 and is of similar extent. I do not say that there is a 

 marked difference in the fauna of these two contiguous 

 districts ; but the division is a convenient one, and its 

 usefulness will, I think, be obvious. 



It is clear that I cannot, within the compass of one 

 volume, give the details of all my rambles on the great 

 island continent which is my native land ; therefore I include 

 in this chapter descriptions of animals extending to a much 

 wider range than the two districts named, and I have 

 clearly indicated the locality and circumstances under 

 which each specimen was found or obtained. I should 

 have liked to detail many other rambles on this western 

 side of the continent, but as I cannot describe all, it seems 

 to be best to select those which will probably be most 

 interesting to the naturalist, and concentrate the results 

 of others into as small a space as possible. 



The indigenous beasts of prey in Australia are few in 

 species and also in individual numbers, and are all of 

 small size ; but so far as I am able to judge, they are, in 

 three cases at least, the fiercest and most bloodthirsty of all 



196 



