CHAPTER 11. NATURAL HISTORY. CLIMATE. ABORIGINES.
NATURAL HISTORY.
North-Western Australia seems to be peculiarly prolific in birds, reptiles, and insects, who dwell here nearly unmolested, mutually preying upon each other, and thus, by a wise provision, setting the necessary check to their own multiplication.
DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS.
Of quadrupeds there are but few species, and of these the individuals, considered in proportion to the surface they roam over, are rare. The only species I observed during a residence of five months were four of kangaroos, namely the large Macropus giganteus ? of Shaw, two smaller kinds, one of which is the Petrogale brachyotis of Gould, and a kangaroo rat, which last is always seen amongst the rocks on the sea coast. One species of opossum, a flying squirrel (Petaurista) two kinds of dog, of which one is new, rats, and a fieldmouse. Of these the kangaroos are alone numerous, and only in particular spots.
NEW KANGAROO.
I shot a female kangaroo of the Petrogale brachyotis near Hanover Bay, and by the preservation of the skin and other parts enabled Mr. Gould to identify it as a new species.
This graceful little animal is excessively wild and shy in its habits, frequenting, in the daytime, the highest and most inaccessible rocks, and only descending into the valleys to feed early in the morning and late in the evening. When disturbed in the daytime amongst the roughest and most precipitous rocks, it bounds along from one to the other with the greatest apparent facility, and is so watchful and wary in its habits that it is by no means easy to get a shot at it. One very surprising thing is, how it can support the temperature to which it is exposed in the situations it always frequents amongst the burning sandstone rocks, the mercury there during the heat of the day being frequently at 136 degrees. I have never seen these animals in the plains or lowlands, and believe that they frequent mountains alone.
NEW DOMESTIC DOG.
The new species of dog differs totally from the Dingo or Canis australiensis. I never saw one nearer than from twenty to thirty yards, and was unable to procure a specimen. Its colour is the same as that of the Australian dog, in parts however having a blackish tinge. The muzzle is narrow, long, thin, and tapers much, resembling that of a greyhound, whilst in general form it approaches the English lurcher. Some of the party who went to Timor stated it to resemble precisely the Malay dog common to that island, and considered it to be of the same breed; which I think not improbable, as I cannot state that I ever saw one wild, or unless in the vicinity of natives; in company with whom they were generally observed in a domesticated state. On the other hand the Canis australiensis was common in some parts in a state of nature: of these I saw several myself and, from the descriptions given by other individuals of the party of dogs they had observed, I recognised their identity with the same species. We heard them also repeatedly howling during the night and, although they never attacked our sheep or goats, many portions of dead animals were carried off by them. I saw but two flying squirrels and know not to which species of Petaurista they are to be referred.