17 
appear. There is one genera which jump on their liind legs like the 
kangaroos, and there is anotlier wliicli build curious nests of twigs 
in the bushes; some live in burrows or cracks in the gi-ound, and 
some in the hollows of trees, but tlie most curious and beautiful of the 
whole tribe is the Beaver-Rat {llydromys). These animals are 
peculiarly Austi-alian, as much so as the kangaroo. They are amphi¬ 
bious in their habits, and are found almost in every water-hole or 
creek. They dive well and are adraii-ably constructed for an aquatic 
life. Their food consists of moluscs, tish, and water insects, and they 
are very partial to cream, according to the observations of ilie writei*, 
whoso dairy used to be regularly visited by these animals living in 
a neighbouring lagoon. The fur is beautifully dense, of a brown or 
black colour ou the back and head, but of a golden yellow or else 
white on the underparts, and the tail is always tipped with white or 
yellow. They live iu burrows in the banks of the river, and the female 
produces four young at a litter. They, like many others of the rat 
species, are frequently the prey of snakes. 
THE KiVkONG, OR “FLYING FOX'’ {Vierojius PoliocephaXus.) 
There are about two dozen species of bats found in Austmlia, five 
or six of which are Fruit Bats, commonly called ‘‘Flying Foxes,” 
probably on account of theirrusty colour and somewhat fox-iike head. 
The species most commonly seen is about the size of a large squirrel 
in the body, but the wings are enoraious in projiortion, for the 
common measurement from tip to tip is four feet. These animals are 
the most formidable post that the orchard-owner in Queensland hiis 
to encounter. They sally out at sunset from their camps or i*oosting- 
places in countless numbers. A constant stream of them can be 
noted, all Hying in one direction, until some orchard is espied, when 
they dive down, and, in a very short time, commit frightful havoc 
among the ripened fruits. Shooting has no effect upon the crowd, 
for, though scores may bo killed, yet lumdreds and hundreds take 
their pkeo. No certain way of warding them off has yet been dis¬ 
covered, bnt of late j'^eai's the plan of burning sulphur has been found 
to check them. During the daytime they congi'egate in “camps” of 
thousands, hanging fi-om the topmost twigs of the loftiest trees in 
clusters : they thus sleep oiit the day, head downwards. When one 
of these haunts is discovered they can be shot in hundreds, for they 
are loth to take wing during day-light. In the woods they live on 
the wild figs and other fruits, the flowers of the bloodwood, gum-tree, 
and ti-tree. They also are fond of honey, and proljably devour insects 
as well. Although they are sometimes called Vampii’cs, they are 
peidectly harmless to all animal life. Moreover, during tlio season of 
the year that they ai-e living upon honey-bearing floweis, they are hy 
no means bad eating when Better food cannot be got. Their flight is, 
noiseless and with measured beat, but they can keep this np for many 
miles, for it is no nncommon thing for them to visit orchards nightly 
which are ten to twenty miles from their known camps. While feed¬ 
ing, they arc constantly quaiTclling and screeching, and flying from 
