18/2.] LETTER FROM MR. W. T. SCOTT. 355 



March 5, 1872. 

 John Gould, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair. 



An extract was read from a letter addressed to the Secretary by 

 Mr. Walter T. Scott, C.M.Z.S., dated Vale of Herbert, Cardwell, 

 Queensland, December 4, 1871. Mr. Scott wrote as follows of the 

 supposed "Native Tiger" of Queensland, concerning which Mr. 

 Sclater had previously communicated the evidence given by Mr. 

 Sheridan (see P. Z. S. 1871, p. 629) :— 



" As to the Tiger, I am inclined to think there really is some large 

 carnivorous animal as yet undescribed in this neighbourhood. A 

 Mr. Hull, Licensed Surveyor, was lately at work with a party of five 

 men, surveying on the Murray and Mackay rivers, north of Card- 

 well. They were lying in their tents one night between eight and 

 nine o'clock, when they were all startled by a loud roar close to the 

 tents. They seized their guns and carefully reconnoitred ; but the 

 animal had departed. In the morning they found the tracks of the 

 unknown visitor, of which Mr. Hull took the measurements and a 

 rough sketch. I send you part of a leaf of Mr. Hull's field-book, 



Footprint of " Native Tiger," reduced one half. 



containing the original sketch — and also his drawing of the track, of 

 the natural size. Mr. Hull assures me that the drawing was a very 

 faithful one, the soft ground having taken the impression with all its 

 details. I have also examined some of the men who were with Mr. 

 Hull. They all tell the same story, and say they heard the animal 

 three nights in succession. 



I think that I have already mentioned to you that a bullock-driver 

 of ours, as long ago as 1864, came in one day with a story that he 

 had seen a Tiger ; but as he was a notorious liar we did not believe 

 a word of it at the time. Yet it is possible he may really have seen 

 the same animal, which must I think, from its claws, be allied to 

 the Tasmaniau Thylaciue (Thylacinus cynocephalus)" 



