OUR NATIVE ANIMALS. 
The koala is purely a tree-feeder, they eat the leaves of Hucalyptus 
punctata, H. microcorys, and H. melliodora, and i. guint. 
The mountain opossum (T'richosurus caninus) is confined to the 
Dividing Range, and seems to be only found in the mountain ash 
(Bucalyptus gigantea) country—there is a black sub-species found in 
the coastal scrubs of Northern New South Wales and Southern Queens- 
land whose feeding habits are not known. 
The vulpine opossum (7. vulpecula), found all over Australia, has 
many food trees, among which are Hucalyptus coriacea, HL. viminalis, 
E. botryodes, H. maculata, BE. piperita, and BL. sideroxylon. 
STRIPED OPOSSU: 
M. 
[Photo. by Harry Burnell. 
The ring-tailed opossums (Pseudochirus) feeds on many scrub trees, 
including species of eucalyptus, eugenia, personia, acacia, angophora, 
passiflora, &e. as 
All the opossums are being rapidly reduced in numbers, and in 
spite of protection in New South Wales do not seem to be holding their 
own. They have suffered by the system in vogue, by which when they 
become numerous in any. State the protection was lifted, and every 
available animal of any age or sex that can be found by the catcher 
is killed, and the remnant, if any, left to breed up again. The fox 
has been found to kill them in many districts. Considering their great 
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