Page:The mammals of Australia Gould vol 1.djvu/175

 Gould.

Beautiful Dromicia.

Dromicia concinna, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Jan. 14, 1845.

Man-dur-da, Aborigines of Western Australia.

pretty little animal is abundantly and very generally distributed over the colony of Swan River. Its habits being strictly nocturnal, it secretes itself during the day in the hollows and chinks of trees, particularly those of tbe Casuarinæ and Banksiæ; at night it leaves its retreat for the flowering branches of shrubby low trees in search of insects and sweets, of which, from the abundance of flowering plants, it easily obtains a never-ceasing supply.

It becomes very tame in confinement; spending the daytime in sleep with its body rolled up in the form of a hall, and on the approach of evening throwing off its drowsiness and becoming animated in the extreme, leaping about from side to side of its cage in chase of insects, of which it is exceedingly fond.

The extent of its range over the continent of Australia, and all minute particulars respecting its habits and economy, have yet to he ascertained.

The sexes are so similar that they present but little difference either in size or colour; in some specimens the under surface is slightly tinged with buff.

Before the eye a mark of black; all the upper surface, the outer side of the limbs and the tail pale sandy brown; all the under surface and the inner side of the limbs white; the two colours distinctly separated, or not blending into each other.

The Plate represents a male and a female, on a branch of a very beautiful species of Melaleuca.