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His food is not yet well known; but it seems probable that he varies it,
according to the situation in which he may be placed. The stomachs of
such as Mr. Bass examined were distended with the coarse wiry grass, and
he, as well as others, had seen the animal scratching among the dry ricks
of sea-weed thrown up upon the shores, but could never discover what it
was in search of. Now the inhabitant of the mountains can have no
recourse to the sea-shore for his food, nor can he find there any wiry
grass of the islands, but must live upon the food that circumstances
present to him.
The annexed representation of this new and curious addition to the
animals of New South Wales was taken from a living subject, which was a
female, and had the characteristic mark which classed it with the opossum
tribe, the pouch or bag for its young.
Cape Barren Island, besides the kangaroo and wombat, is inhabited by the
porcupine ant-eater; a rat with webbed feet; paroquets, and small birds
unknown at Port Jackson, some few of which were of beautiful plumage.


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