580 MRS. M. G. ROBERTS ON 



a bark. From the 19th to the 23i'd inclusive they were occasion- 

 ally seen all together out, yet on the three days following I 

 saw her about with two dangling from her. On the evening of 

 the 27th, upon her running out to meet me, I threw her some 

 meat, which she carried in to the young, afterwards returning for 

 more for them, and eventually lay down contentedly in front of 

 the opening. 29th — All three playing like puppies, biting each 

 other and pulling one another about by the ears. iiOth — Whole 

 family hanging from the mother as she ran out, and one hardly 

 knows which to admire most, her patience and endurance, or 

 the hardihood of the young in holding on and submitting to so 

 much knocking about. The whole process seems very casual and 

 most remarkable, when compared with the breeding and rearing 

 of other marsupials. With the Kangaroo and allied types the 

 head is seen first, looking out of the pouch, and in the early stages 

 is quite bare. Sept. 1st — Young ones playing in their little 

 corner. 9th — Not been seen this month in their mother's pouch. 

 30th — Coming out all alone for pieces of meat and evidently able 

 to look after themselves. At the beginning of the New Year 

 I removed them to other quarters and replaced Billy, much to the 

 annoyance of Truga ; probably she resented the loss of her little 

 ones, and showed her anger by biting him severely about the 

 body and leaving various tooth-marks. 



From observations made during the two seasons, I have come 

 to the conclusion that about four months and a half elapse 

 between the breeding-season and the time the young are able to 

 leave the pouch. 



The baby devils had the sense of smell very strongly developed ; 

 immediately 1 approached, their nostrils would begin to woi-k and 

 a vigorous sniffing would go on. They were also expert climbers, 

 and although I had some specially constructed yards made, they 

 would get up the wire-netting and walk along the top rail quite 

 easily ; at other times they would climb a pear-tree growing in 

 their enclosui*e and sit in the branches like cats. 



General Remarks. 



I have alwaj^s found devils rather fond of a bath ; quite 

 recently, going down to their yard after an illness and finding 

 only a drinking vessel, I ordered a larger one to be put in, and 

 they showed their pleasure by going in at once, sometimes two 

 at a time. I have occasionally poured water from a can over 

 them, when they would run to and fro under it with much 

 enjoyment. 



Their sight in daylight is rather defective ; they seem to pick 

 up their food more readily by smelling than by seeing, and I 

 think they can see objects better at a distance. 



At the present time I have six running together, my own three 

 and three that I bought when in their mother's pouch. All are 

 tame, frolicsome, and lively. I can go in and have a bit of fun 



