386 WILD BEASTS OF THE WORLD 



In captivity it acts up to its character ; furiously resents interference, 

 greedily devours its rations, and quarrels with its companions. It may 

 generally be seen in our Zoological Gardens, and sometimes even in a 

 travelling menagerie, for which it forms a nice sensational exhibit. It is 

 worth mentioning that the Devil's flesh has been eaten and found to 

 taste like veal, because it does not look like the sort of animal one 

 would care to eat ; but in the early days of Australasian colonisation people 

 were not disposed to be particular, so long as they got some fresh meat. 



THE THYLACINE 



( Thylacinus cynocephalus) 



The Thylacine is the largest carnivorous Marsupial at present living, 

 and bears a remarkable resemblance to one of the Dog family, 

 especially in its head, muzzle, and limbs. The coat, however, is close 

 and flat, like that of so many tame Dogs, not furry like a Wolfs or 

 Fox's, and the tail is not of the " brush " type, being very long, straight, 

 and covered with close, short hair ; it is also very thick at the root. 



The colour of the animal is light brown, banded across the hinder 

 part of the back with bold black stripes, whence the names of "Tiger" 

 and " Zebra-Wolf" often applied to the beast. This colouration only 

 recurs in the Banded Duiker among the Antelopes, and, if the two 

 animals lived in the same country, would certainly be set down to 

 " mimicry." In size the Thylacine is rather smaller than a Wolf, and is 

 long-bodied and low on the leg ; its teeth differ from those of the true 

 Dogs in being more numerous ; as in the " Devil," there are eight 

 upper incisors, and the grinders are also more numerous than in the 

 true Carnivora. This animal is nocturnal, and hides by day in the 

 clefts of rocks ; it used to be a pest to Sheep-owners, and has con- 

 sequently been so much persecuted that it is very near extinction, 

 being, like the Tasmanian Devil, confined to Tasmania. Indeed, it 

 would now pay to preserve the few survivors in the mountains, as, 

 although the beast has been exhibited in our Zoological Gardens, it is 

 rare in the animal trade, and would be worth twenty pounds a 

 specimen alive. 



THE TYPICAL DASYURES 



These animals (Dasyurus), which are known in Australia- as Native 

 Cats, somewhat resemble the Mongooses among the true Carnivora in 



