38 CLASS MAMMALIA. 



the fur rather short and harsh. It is of a deep shining- 

 black, with the body closely, but irregularly, covered with 

 pure white patches, differing in shape, size, and disposition. 

 The tail, also, is said to be spotted, in like manner ; but in 

 the specimen, whence our drawing was taken by the accu- 

 rate pencil of Lewin in New Holland, no such spots 

 appear ; there the belly is palish white. 



This species also is said by Peron and Lesueur to be an 

 inhabitant of the sea shore, and to feed on the bodies of 

 Seals, fyc, left by the side ; and, accordingly, the figure of 

 the animal in the splendid work of these travellers and 

 naturalists, is represented in the act of devouring the flesh 

 of a Seal ; but it appears, by a note of the late Mr. Lewin, 

 on the drawing whence our plate is engraved, that it is an 

 inhabitant of Bathurst Plains ; and is known among the 

 European residents in New Holland, by the ill-applied 

 name of the Cat of Bathurst Plains. 



The Tapoo Tafa, of White, which is uniformly brown, 

 but lighter underneath, is treated by Mr. Hunter and by 

 Shaw, as a mere variety of the preceding. M. Geoffroy, 

 on the other hand, makes six different species, which will 

 be found noticed in the Table. We have yet much to learn 

 on the subject of New Holland Zoology ; and as we can add 

 little or nothing with any certainty as to the habits and 

 instincts of these animals, we shall merely refer to the 

 Table for the differences of physical character which have 

 been presumed to constitute the several species. 



The Perameles, at first view, are most like the Opos- 

 sums ; but their head and muzzle are very much longer. 

 To judge of the habits, however, by their physical pecu- 

 liarities, an unerring criterion indeed, it is obvious that 

 they differ from the Opossums materially in their modes of 

 life ; every thing indicates that they do not live in trees, 

 but, on the contrary, seek their sustenance on the surface 

 of the ground, or under it, like the Badgers ; their muzzle 



