RABBIT-EAKED BANDICOOT. 307 



the inmate. Being a nocturnal animal, the Bettong is sure to 

 be at home and asleep during the daytime, so that when a native 

 passes a nest he always dashes his tomahawk into its midst, thus 

 killin g or stunning the sleeping inmates. 



The second Building Mammal on our list is also a native of 

 Australia, and is known by the name of Eabbit-eaeed Bandi- 

 coot {Perameles, [or Chceropus] castanotis). Of the two generic 

 names the latter is certainly preferable, as it alludes to the remark- 

 able structure of the limbs. The fore feet are small and delicate, 

 and only two toes are developed. Instead of being furnished with 

 long claws at their extremity the feet are terminated by two 

 short and pointed claws of equal length, and looking exactly like 

 the hoofs of a pig. It is in allusion to this peculiarity that the 

 generic name " Chceropus," or swine-footed has been given to 

 the animal. 



It is a rather odd-looking little creature, about as large as an 

 ordinary rabbit, and having ears so long and large that the 

 resemblance to the rabbit is really striking. Owing to the great 

 length of the hind legs, the gait of the animal is rather peculiar, 

 being a kind of mixture between walking and hopping, and 

 when the creature is alarmed, it jumps away with wonderful 

 speed. Specimens of this Bandicoot have lived in England. 



The nest which it makes is not unlike that of the Bettong, 

 which has been already described. The animal inhabits the 

 same kind of locality — namely, grass-covered hills, and " scrubs," 

 and builds its nest of grass and leaves, sheltering it if possible 

 beneath a grass tuft or some thick bush. The Eabbit- eared 

 Bandicoot inhabits New South Wales, and the nests are chiefly to 

 be found near the banks of the Murray Eiver. They are, how- 

 ever, so cleverly hidden, and the materials of which they are 

 built are so similar to surrounding objects, that an inexperienced 

 person might almost walk over them without discovering their 

 presence. 



We now come to our last example of the Building Mammalia ; 

 namely, the Musquash, or Ondatra of North America (Fiber 

 Zibethicus), sometimes called the Musk Eat. 



This animal might have been placed among the burrowers, for 

 it is quite as good an excavator as many which have been 



X2 



