ACCOUNT OF THE *56 ENGLISH COLONY C‘799-
The hind paw is longer than the fore, but not lefs flelhy its length
is two inches and feyen tenths, its breadth two inches and fix .tenths.
The claws are four in number: the three inner ones are lefs ftrong,
but about two tenths o f an inch longer than the longeft o f the
fore claws ; and there is a flelhy fpur in the place o f a thumb claw.
The whole paw has a curve, which throws its fore part ratlier inward.
In fize the two fexes are nearly the fame, but the female is perhaps
rather the heavieft.
In the opinion o f Mr. Bafs, this Worn-bat feemed to. be very
oeconomically made; but he thought it unneceffary to .give an account
of its internal ftruclure in his journal.
This animal has not. any claim to fwiftnefs of foot; as, molt men
could run it down. Its pace is hobbling or Ihuffling, fomething
like the awkward gait of-a bear. In difpofition it is mild and gentle,
as becomes a grals-eater; but it bites hard, and is furious when provoked.
Mr. Bafs never heard its voice but at that time: it was a low
cry, between a hilling and a whizzing, which could not be heard
at a diftance o f more than thirty or forty yards. He chafed one,
and with his hands under his .belly fuddenly lifted him off the
ground without hurting him, and laid him upon his back along
his arm, like a child. It made no noife, nor any effort to
efcape, not even a ftruggle. Its countenance was placid and un-
difturbed, and it feemed as contented as If it had been nurfed by
Mr. Bafs* from its infancy. He carried thé beaft upwards o f a
mile,’ and often Ihifted him from arm to arm, fometimes laying him
upon his Ihoulder, all o f which he took in good part ; until, being
.obliged to fecure his legs while he went into the brulh to cut a fpe-
cimen of a new wood, the creature’s anger arofe with the pinching o f
the twine ; he whizzed with all his might, kicked and fcratched molt
furioufly, and fnapped off a piece from the elbow of Mr. Bafs s jacket
* The kangöoroo, and fome other animals in New South Wales, were remarkable for
being domdticated asToon as taken..
with