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that burrows have been observed of even fifty feet in length. It was 

 found to contain two young specimens, of the dimensions of 10 inches 

 from the beak to the extremity of the tail. The nest consisted of dry 

 river-weeds, the epidermis of reeds, and small dry fibrous roots, 

 strewed over the floor of the terminal cavity. An old female was 

 captured soon after on the banks of the river, in a ragged and 

 wretched condition, which was conjectured to be the mother. But 

 little milk could be pressed from her abdominal glands, as might have 

 been expected in the parent of such well-grown young ones. She 

 died at Mittagong, on the 1st of January, but the young ones sur- 

 vived until some time after their arrival in Sidney. 



Mr. G. Bennett proceeds to describe in detail their habits in a 

 state of captivity. Their various attitudes, when in a state of re- 

 pose, are strikingly curious, and were illustrated by the exhibition 

 of sketches made from the life. The young were allowed to run 

 about the room ; but the old one was so restless, and damaged the 

 walls of the room so much by her attempts at buiTowing, that it was 

 found necessary to confine her to the box. During the day she would 

 remain quiet, huddled up with her young ones ; but at night she 

 became very restless, and eager to escape. The little ones were 

 as frolicsome as puppies, and apparently as fond of play : and many 

 of their actions were not a little ludicrous. During the day they 

 seemed to prefer a dark corner for repose, and generally resorted to 

 the spot to which they had been accustomed, although they would 

 change it on a sudden apparently from mere caprice. They did not 

 appear to like deep water, but enjoyed exceedingly a bathe in shal- 

 low water, with a tvirf of grass placed in one corner of the ])an : 

 they seldom remained longer than ten or fifteen minutes in the water 

 at one time. Though apparently nocturnal, or at least preferring 

 the cool and dusky evening to the glare and heat of noon, their 

 movements in this respect were so irregular as to furnish no grounds 

 for a definite conclusion. They slept much, and it frequently hap- 

 pened that one slept while the other was running about, and this 

 occurred at almost all periods of the day. They climbed with great 

 readiness to the summit of a bookcase, placing their backs against 

 the wall and their feet against the bookcase ; and thus, by means of 

 their strong cutaneous muscles and of their claws, mounting with 

 much expedition to the top. Their food consisted of bread soaked 

 in water, chopped egg, and meat minced very small ; and they did 

 not seem to prefer milk to water. One of the young ones died on 

 the 29th of January 1.S33, and the other on the 2nd of February, 

 having been kept alive in captivity for nearly five weeks. 



