320 THE LIVING ANIMALS OF THE WORLD 
attacks of enemies by mimicking the character- 
istic peculiarities of its environment, as obtains 
so generally among insects and other of the 
lower orders of animated nature. A closely 
analogous sleeping attitude, itmay be mentioned, 
is assumed by one of the African lemurs or 
pottos, which have been dealt with in a previous 
chapter. 
Although in captivity the koala takes 
kindly to a mixed diet in which bread-and-milk 
and fruit may form substantial elements, it 
can rarely be induced to altogether dispense 
with its customary gum-leaf regimen, and it 
is this circumstance that mainly accounts for 
its rarity in European menageries. Time and 
again, however, this interesting animal has put 
in an appearance at the Regent’s Park; but 
in spite of Kew Gardens and other sources 
being laid under contribution for a supply of 
gumi-tree leaves, its sojourn there has been but 
brief. As a matter of fact, the common or 
blue gum-tree, which is alone cultivated and 
available in any quantity in this country, and 
which is indigenous to Tasmania, is not the 
species on which the koala is accustomed to 
feed. Of gum-trees there are some hundred 
species, every one differing in the peculiarity 
KOALA, OR AUSTRALIAN NATIVE BEAR of its aromatic scent and flavour, and having 
The koala has no tail, and is a stout, clumsily built animal, about 32 its special clientéle among the ranks of leaf- 
inches in length, with thick woolly fur of a greyish colour browsing animals. So far as the writer’s obser- 
vations extended, it was the big Queensland 
“white” and “swamp” gums that were especially patronised by the Australian bears, and these 
are not grown in England. 
Although at first sight, and normally so far as the younger individuals are concerned, the 
koala would appear to represent the most perfect embodiment of peace and goodwill among 
mammals, he is accredited at a maturer age, when crossed in love or goaded to resentment 
by some other cause, to give way to fits of ungovernable rage. These temporary lapses are, 
however, very transient, and our little friend soon recovers his customary bland placidity. 
While it is being threshed out, nevertheless, the “burden of song” delivered by rival claimants 
for a partner's favours is a remarkable phenomenon. The circumstance that the vocal duet 
is commonly executed high up among the branches of the loftiest gums no doubt adds very 
considerably to both the timbre of the “music” and the distance to which it is carried. 
The old-time phrase of * making the welkin ring” would undoubtedly have been applied with 
alacrity and singular appropriateness by the poets of the departed century to the love-song of 
the koala, had they been privileged to hear it. 
Among the examples of the koala which have been in residence at the Zoo, one of 
them came to a pathetic end. As told to the writer by Mr. A. D. Bartlett, the late 
superintendent, it appears that the little animal, on exhibition in the gardens during the 
day, was brought into the house at night, and allowed the run of a room which, among other 
furniture, included a large swing looking-glass. One morning the little creature was found 
crushed to death beneath the mirror, upon which it had apparently climbed and over balanced. 
The information that the animal was a female evoked the suspicion that personal vanity and 
Photo by H”, Saville-Kent, F.Z 8. 
