Page:The Zoologist, 4th series, vol 1 (1897).djvu/225

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This beautiful species I only had the opportunity of observing in the vicinity of Roebuck Bay, Western Australia. It does not occur in Arnhem Land. According to the evidence of the natives, like the C. hirsutus, it frequents the hollow trees of the Eucalyptus scrubs. I have never seen it myself, except in the houses of settlers. These corrugated iron buildings, with their rafters and framework of Eucalyptus wood, are always tenanted by the "Katkomba," the flour- and rice-bags of the store-rooms being the object of their visit.

On the Hill-station, quite close to Roebuck Bay, a couple of these parasites had their stronghold under the roof of the dilapidated house. Every evening after dark they would commence moving about, and by the flickering light of our lamps I could see the beautiful white-tailed animals rapidly crawl along the rafters overhead, and vanish into the store-room. My attempts to induce them to enter a trap invariably failed. Only by the aid of the natives was I able to secure one nearly adult specimen and two young ones. These latter were brought to me in the month of December, but probably the breeding takes place during the whole year. The number of young ones being two, I venture to propose that this may be regarded as the constant birth-rate of the genus. It will be remembered that the same number is always found with C. hirsutus.

Although this species abounds in nearly all the northern lagoons, rivers, and creeks, the traveller will hardly ever see it, and even the aborigine can only with difficulty procure it.

Everywhere along the water's edge these animals dig numerous channels into the bank, like the European Water-vole, and in the water they seek their food, which chiefly consists of fish and crustaceans. The bleached shells of the latter are generally to be seen along the shore where the animal has devoured its prey.

The mode of life of this animal I had very little opportunity of observing, but I think it may be considered as chiefly nocturnal in its habits. Sometimes it will, according to the natives, come out in the daytime, but hardly without being