THE WOMBAT. 39 



tliem in the eveniug crawling about the top brandies 

 of the large gum-trees, often with a young one perched 

 upon the rump. The habits of very few of the animals 

 here are diurnal, and we meet none in the Australian 

 forests by day (except it has been disturbed from its lair), 

 with the exception of the kangaroo or an old bear. The 

 bear must be considered as representing the monkey, 

 of which animal we have none here ; a circumstance I 

 rather wondered at, considering the wooded nature of 

 the country and the fine climate. The bear makes a 

 poor figure on the ground, but will soon get up to the 

 top of the highest tree. They are extremely difficult to 

 shoot, on account of the thick hide ; and it is cruelty to 

 shoot at them with shot, if they are any height up a 

 tree ; but a bullet brings them down " by the run." The 

 flesh is eatable — not unlike that of the northern bear 

 in taste. It is considered a delicacy by the blacks. I 

 always found the bear singly. They have a loud hoarse 

 groan or cry, which they utter when frightened or 

 wounded. 



The Wombat is analogous to the badger, and common 

 in most of the sandstone ranges in the country, where 

 they live in deep burrows, like the badger at home. It 

 is a thick, chubby animal, much larger than the native 

 bear, of a uniform brown colour, wdth short strong legs. 

 The skin is of little use as a fur, for the hair is short and 

 bristly. The habits of the wombat are strictly terrestrial, 

 and it is rarely seen by day. The flesh is eatable. It is 

 an inoffensive animal, living cliiefly on herbs and roots. 



