A QUEER LITTLE KANGAROO'S NEST. 159 



does, ,of natural meadows or prairie land without trees 

 or rocks; and the question which the little creature 

 has to solve is how to build a home big enough to live 

 in, and yet small enough to escape being found. It is 

 not an easy problem, for the potoroo is as large as a 

 hare, with a tail almost a foot long, and the nest must 

 at times be used to shelter and conceal his little ones. 



The animal solves the enigma very cleverly. First 

 finding or making a hollow in the earth deep enough 

 for his purpose, and, if possible, close to a tall tuft of 

 grass, it constructs over it an ingeniously contrived 

 roof of stalks, leaves, and blades of grass, which, being 

 nearly level with the ground and artfully arranged to 

 look like its surroundings, is as entirely hidden as if it 

 were twenty feet under the surface — that is, hidden 

 from all eyes but those of a native educated to see what 

 is invisible to civilized man. No potoroo, or any other 

 animal, for that matter, in the land where he lives can 

 deceive him or escape being cooked and eaten by him. 



As the potoroo can not always find grass suitable 

 for his nest close at hand, he is often obliged to bring 

 it from a distance, and — were the story told by any one 

 less trustworthy than Mr. Gould, the great naturalist, 

 it would not be believed — he does this by gathering the 

 grass he needs into a large sheaf, wrapping his tail 

 around it and setting out for home as fast as he can 

 go, dragging his load behind him. After the little fel- 

 low and his family creep in, drag some grass after them 

 and close up the place, they are at home to no one 

 until the evening, when they venture forth and scratch 

 about and dig up roots with their strong fore paws. 



