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Sydney New South Wales
5th August 1798.
An Animal found upon an Island on the Coast of New South Wales in Latitude 40º. 36'S. where considerable numbers were caught by the Company of a ship which had been wreckd there on her Voyage from Bengal to Port Jackson - & as it appears to be an unknown creature I have preservd it in Spirits for the inspection of the learned Members of the Literary & Philosophical Society of Newcastle upon Tyne . -
I received this Animal alive by a Vessel which I had sent to the relief of the Sufferers - It was exceedingly weak when it arrivd, having during its confinement on board, refusd any kind of sustenance, except a small quantity of boild rice which they forcd down its throat - I had it frequently taken out of its Cage or Box in which it was kept, & exposd it in a small place enclosd where it receivd in the day time, The Benefit of the warmth of the Sun, which however it did not seem to enjoy, but whenever it could shelter itself under a shrub, there it would continue & sleep - it refusd every kind of food on shore, as it had done on board, but we could see it sometimes nibble a little of the roots of Bushes or Grass; this kind of provision was not sufficient for prolonging its existence, I saw that it would inevitably die soon if we could find no particular food which it would voluntarily swallow - it grew weaker every day, was exceedingly harmless & would allow any person to carry it about - After having livd we may say without any kind of food about six weeks, it died; On opening the body to see if any thing new was too be seen in the construction or figure of the Intestines, no discovery worth notice was made; the Brain was taken out of the head & the little Intestines removd, & the Body immersd in Spirits.
I feel myself unequal to advice & correct description of the Living State of this uncommon Animal - But shall observe, that its size was nearly that of a [Badger?], a species of which we supposd it