A STRANGE ANIMAL SHOT.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume V, Issue 1461, 20 January 1887, Page 2

A STRANGE ANIMAL SHOT.

A tiogular capture *as made at Waipawa on Tuesday evening (January 4), About 7 15 p.m. Florence Smith, daughter of W. A. W. Smith, who resides on the Waipawa rlrer aide, In passing up the garden path saw a strange nntmsl, running swiftly towards the house followed by the dog, ollmb ap a, willow tree near the doorway and lodge 'h^re. On acquainting her brother he fetor ed his ana, fired it and dislodged the animal, which eprung from the tree and retired to the thioket. Some tare** h'-urs later the dog wh'oh hsd kept on the look-ont, again Baw and chased it, and with snocess, for seizing it a fi«roe 001 fliot occur' ei, aod nliimately the boy eeoured the prize and killed it. A correspondent of the Napier Nevoi deaorlbei the animal as follows : " The bi dy wai about 24 incheH long from forehead to root of tail, the latter 14 inohes long, bate on the inside like a ring-tailed monkey's, body .nearly tqupre bnt flitti&h, large pocket like the kangaroo, head short with good spread, In shape like a fox's face, nit at all ferooiotn bat rather mild lookIng, ears short, two long bottom tenth H'-jo a rat's, with two short ones at the top, body, oovered with plenty of fine fur averaging 1$ Inch, of brown color, both fore and bind Jei?s of equal length, abont 3 inohes, fee feet comprising oUwa only, but hind feet consisted ■ f four olaws and projection without a olaw like a thumb, adapted for holding on to branohes, as is bh« t»il. To prevent mi'onoeptionß, the inim*i waa bleeding when I aaw it, and it had eaupkt its tongue between its teeth. Die Smltff%as proposing to onre and stuff bhe skin after 1 had eeen it at a verification. We have no wild quadrupeds m these parts, and I sh«ll be glad if Mr Bowerman or othar of the learned mem sen of your Philoso hioal 8 ciety can sell Qi what It lr Mean' lme it is neither I kangaroo "nor an rppiwm." Quiet nerve and balmy sleep m Hop 3ittew, for sleepless ladies and invalids' nirioin 00. mrto the genuine, Notioe,