Australian Natural History. 1431 



of our heavy westerly breezes, which blowing for two or three days 

 relieved me of their presence. Though I have seen the insect and 

 sent it to you, I had no idea of its nature. It has not visited me this 

 year ; my neighbours, some of them old residents, never observed this 

 insect to be mischevious. It is peculiar to low and swampy ground, 

 and my house is adjacent to a large lagoon, which is subject to be- 

 come dry. 



An instance of courage in our domestic poultry occurred the other 

 day, which was very amusing. A hawk attracted by some chickens, 

 which had died and been throw T n away, came down and settled on the 

 ground. Immediately the fowls were in dismay, but recovering, 

 marshalled themselves in order — the cocks in front, the hens and 

 youngsters in a line behind. All advanced upon the hawk, and one 

 cock, more bold than the rest, flew at him ; this only made him rise a 

 little and shift his position ; but as he moved, so did the army 

 of fowls, the cocks maintaining their place in the van, and spurring 

 when they could, till at last they wearied out the patience of the hawk, 

 and he left them supperless. Did not this combined attack show 

 great instinct ? 



I skinned two native Kittens, (Dasyurus) yesterday ; we dug the 

 mother and three young ones out of a hole, but the dogs too much 

 injured the old one. They are of a pale fawn-colour, spotted with 

 white, similar to the hide of the axis. There is also another colour, 

 though not so often seen, jet black with white spots; perhaps these 

 are the males. They are most destructive in the poultry-yard, and 

 though small, destroy many fowls in anight by sucking the blood and 

 brains. War is always waged with them, but the best preventive is 

 to chain a dog to the fowl-house. This animal is about a foot long, 

 from the snout to the tip of the tail ; slender in shape ; sharp nose, 

 and rounded erect ears, and when full-grown the tail is bushy. The 

 young have very short hair and smooth tails, and are very tame, 

 which cannot be said of the old ones. I handled and pulled the 

 young ones about, and they never offered to bite, and I finally carried 

 them home in my pocket. 



C. H. Horsley. 



