THE RABBIT-EARED BANDICOOT — THE MUSK RAT. 



o2o 



The second Building Mammal on our list is also a native of 

 Australia, and is known by the name of Babbit-eared Bandi- 

 coot (Perameles [or Chceropus] castanotis). Of the two generic 

 names the latter is certainly preferable, as it alludes to the remark- 

 able structure of the limbs. The fore feet are small and delicate, 

 and only two toes are developed. Instead of being furnished with 

 long claws at their extremity, the feet are terminated by two short 

 and pointed claws of equal length, and looking exactly like the 

 hoofs of a pig. It is in allusion to this peculiarity that the generic 

 name "Chceropus," or swine-footed, has been given to the animal. 



It is a rather odd-looking little creature, about as large as an 

 ordinary rabbit, and having ears so long and large that the re- 

 semblance to the rabbit is really striking. Owing to the great 

 length of the hind legs, the gait of the animal is rather peculiar, 

 being a kind of mixture between walking and hopping, and when 

 the creature is alarmed, it jumps away with wonderful speed. 

 Specimens of this Bandicoot have lived in England. 



The nest which it makes is not unlike that of the Bettong, 

 which has been already described. The animal inhabits the 

 same kind of locality, namely, grass-covered hills and "scrubs," 

 and builds its nest of grass and leaves, sheltering it, if possible, 

 beneath a grass tuft or some thick bush. The Babbit-eared 

 Bandicoot inhabits New South Wales, and the nests are chiefly 

 to be found near the banks of the Murray Biver. They are, 

 however, so cleverly hidden, and the materials of which they are 

 built are so similar to surrounding objects, that an inexperienced 

 person might almost walk over them without discovering their 

 presence. 



\Ye now come to our last example of the Building Mammalia, 

 namely, the Musquashj or Ondatra of North America {Fiber 

 Ztbethicus), sometimes called the Musk Bat. 



This animal might have been placed among the burrowers, for 

 it is quite as good an excavator as many which have been de- 

 scribed under that title, but as it builds as well as burrows, it has 

 been reserved for its present position in the work. 



Essentially a bank-haunting animal, it is never to be seen at 

 any great distance from water, and, like the beaver, to which it is 

 closely allied, it is usually to be found either in the river itself or 

 on its edge, where its brown wet fur harmonizes so well with the 

 brown wet mud that the creature can scarcely be distinguished 



