THE TASMANIAN DEVIL. 



387 



The animal is a very conspicuous one, on account of the peculiar coloring of its fur and 

 the brightly defined stripes which decorate its back. 



The general tint of the fur is a grayish-brown, washed with yellow, each hair being brown 

 at its base and yellow towards the point. Along the back runs a series of boldly defined 

 stripes, nearly black in their color, beginning just behind the shoulders and ending upon the 

 base of the tail. The number of these stripes is various, being from fourteen to seventeen on 

 an average. At the spot where they commence they are very short, but lengthen rapidly as 

 they approach the tail, reaching their greatest length over the haunches, over which they are 

 drawn to some extent. In many specimens the stripes are forked upon the haunches. 

 Towards the tail the stripes again become short, and upon the base of the tail are so abbreviated 

 that they only cover its upper surface. The under parts of the body are gray. The tail is 

 slightly compressed, and gradually tapers to its extremity. The eyes are large and full, and 

 their color is black. The edge of the upper lip is white. 



TASMANIAN DEVTL.— Diabolus ursinus. 



In this animal the marsupial bones are absent, their places being indicated by some fibrous 

 cartilages that are found in the .locality which these bones might be expected to fill. The 

 character of the fur is not very fine, but it is short, rather woolly, and closely set upon the 

 animal's skin. In front of the eye there is a small black patch, which runs round the eye, 

 and surrounds it with a dark line. 



As may be imagined, from the very expressive name which has been appropriated to the 

 animal which is represented in the engraving, its character is not of the most amiable, nor its 

 appearance the most inviting. 



Few animals have deserved their popular titles better than the creature to whom the first 

 colonists of Van Diemen's Land unanimously gave the name of Native Devil. The innate 

 and apparently ineradicable ferocity of the creature can hardly be conceived except by those 

 who have had personal experience of its demeanor. Even in captivity its sullen and purpose- 

 less anger is continually excited, and the animal appears to be more obtuse to kindness than 

 any other creature of whom we have practical knowledge. Generally, a caged animal soon 

 learns to recognize its keeper, and to welcome the hand that supplies it with food ; but the 

 Tasmanian Devil seems to be diabolically devoid of gratitude, and attacks indiscriminately 

 every being that approaches it. 



I have frequently had opportunities of testing the character of this curious animal, and 



