128 Mr. Ogilby ou certain Australian Quadrupeds, 



inuuicating- the iutelligence of any strange or uncommon event to distant tribes 

 by raising dense columns of smoke in différent directions over the face of the 

 country, and we fancied that these were their rude telegraphs, kept ready for 

 immediate use wlien an occasion occurred to require it. A more minute exa- 

 mination, however, soon convinced us of our error ; we found, in fact, that 

 the materials were not thrown promiscuously togetlier, as would naturally 

 have been the case liad they been coUected by the natives for the purpose of 

 burning, but that each stick and fragment was so curiously intertwined and 

 woven with the rest, that the whole formed a solid compact mass, so firndy 

 bomul together, that it was absolutely impossible to remove a part without at 

 the same time moving the whole fabric. Our kangaroo dogs also drew our 

 attention more particularly to the examination of these curious structures, by 

 the constant ardour which tliey displayed in barking and scratching when- 

 ever we fell in with them, thus manifestly intimating that they expected to 

 lind something inside. At length we broke several of them open, a work of 

 no small difficulty from the solidity of their structure, and were not a little 

 surprised to find in the interior a small nest occupied by an animal something 

 l)etween a rabbit and a rat, which had constructed this formidable and mas- 

 sive stronghold to protect itself against the attacks of the native dog. For 

 this purpose the little animal chooses some small bush or shrub, as a fixed 

 jmint (Vappui to commence its operations ; and by gradually working round 

 this, and interlacing the materials of its fortalice, first of all with tlie growing 

 brandies of the centre bush, and afterwards with one another, gradually ex- 

 tends it to the enormous dimensions already specified, and enjoys the reward 

 of its perseverance and ingenuity in subsequent security and repose. This 

 little animal has ears exactly resembling those of a small rabbit, soft, downy 

 wool, and short hind legs, and, but for the tail, might readily pass for a small 

 rabbit." 



Something of this constructive faculty is observed among the Squirrels awd 

 Tamhis, but in neitlier of these genera is it developed so perfectly as in the 

 ConiluriDi. Mr. Say, indeed, relates that the Tamia quudriv'ittata makes a 

 nest of the" burrs of A'r//;////»/«, portions of the upright Cactus, snvaW branches 

 of pine trees, and other vegetable productions, sufficient in some instances to 

 fill a cart," but these do not appear to be artificially woven together, as in the 



