File:Brehm's Life of animals - a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools (1895) (19792463273).jpg

Title: Brehm's Life of animals : a complete natural history for popular home instruction and for the use of schools
Identifier: brehmslifeofanim00breh (find matches)
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Brehm, Alfred Edmund, 1829-1884; PechuLoesche, Eduard, 1840-1913; Haacke, Wilhelm, 1855-1912; Schmidtlein, Richard
Subjects: Mammals; Animal behavior
Publisher: Chicago : Marquis
Contributing Library: American Museum of Natural History Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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500 THE POUCHED ANIMALS. of Martens it would invade the poultry-yards, and massacre with a bloodthirstiness equaled only by that exhibited by one of the Weasel tribe. It there- fore became an object of general execration and vindictive pursuit from the very outset, the more so as its flesh was found to be savory, or at least eat- able. Traps of all kinds were put out, and thus it came about that it also soon learned to know and fear the reign and intelligence of Man, and retreated 'to the densest and least accessible forests in the mountains. In many localities it has already been exterminated, and even where it still exists, it is now seen but rarely. It is a genuine nocturnal animal, and as shy of daylight as the Pouched Dog or one of the Owl-tribe. on the head than on the body. A mature animal attains a body length of sixteen inches, with a tail twelve inches long, the height at the withers being six inches. The members of the species are dis- tributed over New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. The Spotted Dasyure delights in forests along the sea coast. By day it hides in burrows under trees and stones or in hollow trunks. After night- fall it prowls far around in its search for food. It feeds principally on dead animals cast ashore by the sea, but preys also on smaller mammals or birds nesting on the ground in the woods, not even dis- daining insects. The number of young ranges be- tween four and six. The Dasyure is pursued with as
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ZEBRA-WOLF OR POUCHED DOG. â mania, mostly in the mountain districts. It bear coat and is a typical Pouched Animal, i . nimal, the larS great resemblance, iaius.) THE DASYURES. The Dasyures, sometimes called the Brush-tailed â Opossums (Dasyurus), constitute a distinct genus. In their appearance they partake of the character of both Foxes and Martens, without, however, showing a striking resemblance to either of them. The body is slender and elongated, the neck comparatively long, the head pointed in front. The tail is long, non-prehensile and covered with thick, bush)' hair; the legs are short and of medium stoutness, the hind limbs being somewhat longer than the fore pair, and the hind feet distinguished by the lack of a great toe; the toes are separated and armed with strong, curved, pointed claws. Habitat and Char- One of the best known species, the acter of the Spotted Spotted Dasyure (Dasyurus viverri- Dasyure. mis), is usually of a fallow brown hue, although some individuals are lighter; the lower parts of the body are white. The entire upper sur- face is studded with irregular, white spots, smaller much pertinacity as are the preceding predaceous Pouched Animals. It is frequently caught in great numbers in steel traps baited with some kind of animal food. It is not to be recommended as a pet, for it is one of the most uninteresting of creatures. THE BANDED ANT-EATER. The Banded Ant-eater (Myrmecobius fasciatus) is the only representative of the second sub-family of the predaceous Pouched Animals (MyrmecodiituB). Its body is long, the head very pointed, the hinder feet four-toed, the fore feet five-toed, the hinder legs somewhat longer than the fore legs, the soles bare, the toes separated. The tail is non-prehensile, long and shaggy. The female has no pouch. The great number of teeth is notable, being greater than that of any other mammal, and ranging from fifty to fifty-four. The Ant-eater is justly considered to be one of the handsomest and most striking in appearance of any

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