178 THE BOOK OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM 



which must entail great suffering on the unfortunate victims ere 

 death brings relief. The gun, of course, is largely used where the 

 bigger mammals are concerned. But there is very little sport in 

 Kangaroo hunting. The chasing of a timid, harmless creature is 

 not sport. Unlike South Africa, for instance, Australia offers no 

 attractions to the * mighty hunter.' The man who finds Fox hunting 

 a sport for weaklings and desires to face dangerous wild beasts should 

 not come to the new Commonwealth. There is not a single creature, 

 exclusive of the many poisonous Snakes, in the bush which it is really 

 dangerous to meet unarmed. A ramble through an Indian jungle or 

 an African or South American forest is fraught with danger to un- 

 armed man. He may be surprised by a Tiger, a Lion or a Jaguar ; but 

 in the Australian bush nothing is to be feared in that respect. No 

 fierce-fanged beasts lurk in the silent places ready to pounce on and 

 rend the disturber of their peace. In most of the States, too, the wild 

 man has become as a tale that is told. Only in the central deserts and 

 in the far north-western portions of the continent does the savage 

 aboriginal now roam ; and his days are numbered on the scroll 

 of fate." 



Although it is proposed to deal here chiefly with the Pouched 

 Mammals of Australia, it may be interesting to include the Eutheria 

 and Reptiles in the census. The figures are from Animals of 

 Australia. 



Mammalia. Monotremes 2, Marsupials 106, Eutheria 106. 



Reptiles. Crocodiles 2, Turtles and Tortoises 12, Snakes 105, 

 Lizards 390. 



Amphibia. Frogs and Toads 62. 



Australia is peculiarly rich in Reptiles but, as Kipling would 

 say, that is another story. 



In concluding these introductory remarks on the Mammals of 

 Australia, I cannot do better than quote a sonnet composed in 

 honour of the land of the Southern Cross by one of her most gifted 

 sons, Mr. Bernard O'Dowd. 



"AUSTRALIA 



"Last sea-thing dredged by Sailor Time from space, 

 Are you a drift Sargasso, where the West 

 In halcyon calm rebuilds her fatal nest ? 

 Or Delos of a coming Sun-God's race? 

 Are you for Light, and trimmed with oil in place, 

 Or but a Will-o'-Wisp on marshy quest? 

 A new demesne for Mammon to infest? 



