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ScnlceIrAN Sr Service Scnlce ServiceOr ice P AN Imaginative Ima"ln1t1\C Ima"ln1t1 Imaln1t1 C imaginatic " \ % child chUd could be beI betransported betransported I IrAN Or transported transportedfrom transported from a , visit sisit Islt to an anA anAmerican anAmerican A American erfcan toy shop to the he millstof midstof midst millst midstof of an Australian euc'll eucll eucalyptus ' ptus for- for forest for for- forest forest - est est . , , , i-nd i nd and - nd there shown for the first timethe timethe time the Australian AustrJ.lf'ln AustrJ.lfln AustrJlfln . ' native bear , or I Koala Koalaclimbing oala , , climbing among the branches and nib nib- nibbling nibbling nibbling - bling the tile lea\ lea leaves leaes leases \ es , he would wou1d be hard harll to toconvmce toconvince toconvince convmce convince that the teddy bears be1rs he had hadbeen hadbeen hadbeen been Inspecting had not be been n blOught btought blOughtmagically btoughtmagically bi oughtmagically magically to life llfe ; for the ilie Koala , with withhis withhis hIs round roly poly body , ShOl shoit short t mms aims mmsand aimsand aimsand and pointed pomted nose , Is the living 11Ing hiring 11\ 11 \ Ing plOto- plOto proto- proto plOtotype prototype pioto-type pioto type - - type of the Jolly lolly toy be'lr- be'lr belr bear-that bear that be'lrthat ' - that helps helpsmake helpsmake helpsmake make Christmas moining mOlnlng motning merry In Inmany Inmany Inmany many an American nursery , . Koalas Konlas aie ate nl e found In eastern e1stern nnd and nndsoutheastern andsoutheastern andsoutheastern southeastern Austialia AustlaUa Austtalla , , but do not oc- oc occur oc occur - . cur on any nny of ot the neighboring nelghbormg Islands Islandsor or In the western half baIt of the continent continentThey . . They were probably once the most mostcommon mostcommon mostcommon common animals In the Australian Australianbush Australianbush Australianbush bush , but about 40 years ago a wille wide widespread widespread pre'1d pre1d spread ' epidemic ephlenllc overtook osertook 0 ' ertook them and andthey andthey andthey they died dled by thousandsThey thousandsThey thousands thousandsThey They also were hunted e\tensh e tensh e.tensisely etensisely extensivelyfor e.tensiselyfor ' \ . ely elyor for ( or the sake of ot their tbelr warm , tliick thick fur furand , and aid as ns a n result are nre now e\tinct e tinct e\tlnct tlnct extinct \ ' In New NewSouth Newsouth NewSouth South southVales \ Wales Wnles \Vales Vales A .A . few hundred are still stillto stillto stillto to be found In Victoria , In c31efull carefully carefullyprotected caiefulliprotected protected localities 10caUtles , and a fall fait number numberremain numberremain numberremain remain In Queensland Little Is I.nown Inown known I.nownof knownof . knownof of the nature of the tbe disease that so sonemly soneatly soneaily nemly neatly esteimlnated extelmlnated exterminated them , , but stullIs study stull\ stull studs \ Is Isbeing isbeing Isbeing being gh given glen en the subject now , \ with ItIl a anew aview " , new Jew to pl picserving pieserving eser\"lng eser "lng lng \ " the remnants ot of otthIs ofthis ofthis thIs formerly tormerly numerous species SpeCles . . . Tlie The Tile Koala Is one of the most Inter Inter- Interesting Interesting interesting - esting of ot Australian Australhn animals anlm'lls anlmlls ' Ue lIe He h1s has h1sa hasa hasa a thick , grayish grnYlsh colored fur , a .a . ploml ptomi ptomilent plomlnent piominent nent lent black bl1ch nose , and nnd stands st'1Dlls st1Dlls ' about two twofeet twofeet twofeet feet hi hish high h A good specimen weighs weighsnbout weighsabout weighsabout nbout about 30 pounds ponnlls . . lie He Is one of ot the themost themost themost most InolTen Inoffensive l\'e l 'e e \ ' animals anItn11s Ima Im1 Imainrble ? ln Imbledoing 1ble , doln doing no harm or damage dam1ge to anyone or oranything oranything oranythingHe 1nythlng anything anythingHe ' He Lives In TreesEssentialls Trees TreesEssentially Essentially Essentialls ssentlalh an arboreal ai m boreal and malnl mainly mainlynocturnal mainlynoctuinal noctUlnal nocturnal animal anlm11 , , he spends his time In Inthe inWe inthe the We blanches branches bl anches of certain species of ofeucal ofeucalyptus ofeucalyptus eucal eucalyptus ) ptus trees , \ where sshere here he feeds nt at ntnight atnight atnight night upon the tender tenLler voung young lea\es lea es leases leaesIf leasesIf leavesIf \ If ' approached 1ppro.lched 1pprolched . , , he lie will Sl sit t and nnd stare stareat St11 stoicat e eat at the Intruder with a ! ) surprised urrnlsed surpilsed expre exprea expreasion cxprcsslon slon sion . , and only If danger daner dander , ; threatens thre1tens he heWIll hewill hewill WIll climb to tlie the topmost branches branchesHe branchesHe branchesHe He Is rather r1ther rattier Inactive Inactl\'e Inactl 'e e \ ' , e especially pechlly Insummer In Insummer insummer summer , and nnd often sits SltS In the fork of ofa ofa ofa a tree , sleeping the d ivllght 1\'l1ght 1 'l1ght l1ght tviight \ ' hours hoursawa hoursaway hoursawai awa away The adult Jdult males are fond of ofperching ofperching ofperching perching them themselves themselses ehcs on a dead limb 11mb at the attlie atthe theyappear top of a tall tree , from which th they the theappear , } appear to enjoy enjor then suivey suisey sm , ey of the thesUlloundIng thesurrounding thesuiiounding sUlloundIng surrounding landscape la0l1scapc . They h'1 h1 his have ' ' e fi\ fi five fie fire \ e toes toee ; on each foot foot.and footand . , and each e'1ch e1ch ' toe Is aimed filmcd with wlth a cm cutsed cutsedneedle cuivedneedle 'ed ed 'edneedle ' needle sharp sh1rp claw chw The toes aie file ate In IngloUIS Ingroups Ingioups gloUIS groups ) of twos t\\OS t OS \ and threes , the t\\O t O trio tOch trioclaws twoclaws \ ch\\ ch chs claws \ s being In the foirn fatal fOl m of a double doublethumb thumb Tliev Tllev Thies ' are thus enabled en'1\led en'1 en1 led ' \ ) to c1lmu climb c1lmueaslly climbeasily climbeasily easlly easily and nnd also nlco : ; to giasp glasp gtnsp the blanches blanchesof of a tree and pull them down ( for or the purpose thepurpose of feeding feedmg on tlie the leaves lea\es lea es leases leasesEsen leavesEcn \ E\cn E cn Esen \ en an Iron telegraph telegr'1ph telegr1ph ' post offers olTers otters no noobctacle noobstacle noobstacle obctacle obstacle : ; to their cl1m1Jm climhin climbing , PO\\ PO powers POers \ ers , and andthei andthe andthey they the have leave been seen sitting thewires thewiree among the wiree wires difflcult dlffienlt diffleult ; on top of oneJthough one , ' \ although \Jthough Jthough it Is dlf dif themInto fienlt fleult to S'1yh1t say S'1y S1y ' what \\h1t h1t \ motive took tool\ tool toolthem \ them Into lla"staffseems llastaffseems st1rrseems Ihgstafrseems surh such a position A ' tall t'11 t11 ] Ihgstafr n1 " st1rr seems temptatlon temptation to presentn present an \n n ' \ Ii h resistible rclstlble hreslstible ! ) temp tatlon tation , and C\ C even Cen esen \ en on the windiest wJndlcst of ofdavs ofd'1) ofdais d'1) d1 dais ' ) S the tlici they climb clllob such such.posts suchposts sllchpobtS . _ posts to perch on the onthe topThu topThe top topThy Thy Thu The leaves le1es leases le1\ le1 \ es of certain cert1Iu cerhla kinds l.Inds lInds . of ot thc the theAustralian thcAl1strnll111 Al1strnll111 Australian treesform eucJ.l eucJl eucal3 eucalyptus eucJ.lltllS . \ltllS ltllS titris \ ( gum gllm treee trees ; ) form their st stiple lple iple diet lhet . , nlthough although nl tliough OCC1 oeca slon'll1y slonll1y sionally occaslonally OCC1slon'll1y oecasionally ' they feed fecd on the barks b1rlts ofler of ler ter ccrtain lert'1ln tertwin t'1ln t1ln twin ' trees and 'lnd lnd ' on sphagnum sphagnllm moss mo s . , pcr per nor nornever h'1ps h1ps laps pcrh'1ps perlaps ' ns as a tonIc or melllcine medicine The They Theyneser never ne'er neer neser ' llrlnlw'1ter drink llrlnl\ llrlnl \ water w'1ter w1ter ' in a state st1te natibut o of ( n'1tl11e n1tl11e nature ' , but arc are . obtainenough apparently UPP.lrently UPPlrently able aule to obt'1l obt1l Obtain ' enough moisture from reedIn feeding on 011 the ( juicy hejuicy turn , um Uln bllOot shoots from which the com cow merclal mercial conmerclal commerclal cowmercial euc'1l euc1l eucalyptus eucal3Pttis ' , } ptllS oil 011 is extracted e\tracteLl e tracteLl e.tracted etracted extractedMake ' \ . . , Make Delightful Dellg'ltful Dellgltful ' ' PetsKna1 pets petsn1 K0111S Kna1 is nre are such 1,3 13 qualnt quaint and " "ttrac-tlvc "ttrac ttrac tlvc , nttrac attrcc " - . tl\ tl tle the n1 \ e little creatures crc1tures that tint they are much in demand as ns household pots Pels pets They Tevare are areery \ very \ery ery sery easily ealIy ' ) tamed , but as us the tlie3 t , } grow S older " they are C'11 C11 caieless - ' - ele s or of ore the f'1ct f1ct fact ' that their . . e el1ws claws h'1'e h1e base ' ' a needle needle- needlelike . - like sh1rl1Uesc sharpness : ; , which will svill caslh easmh trate the pene Ilene thlcl\est thlcl est thickest \ nnd and strongl strongast st cloth Although clothAlthough Althoughwhen when In lrsing ing In the bush they tal\e tal e take \ no lIquh1 liquid , In quIckly eaptl\ eaptl cnptis eaptlIty \ Ity 1hlY they acquire It a taste for wll wail ( ' , ; sweetened S\\ S Slet sweet- sweet \ let . - ened tea nnd and . stard.lY stardlY starchy foolls foods ' 'fhls fhls This de pravlty Is the C1use cause of theIr for It gh gisen en such unrloln undoing ' " , thllgs things ) In " " mlstnI.c mlstnIc mistaken uiistaLcn . ldndnc kindness s they , y soon bQ bcgin begin to lose dltlon dition con indigestion and lon In Cen Esen C\ C a \ en e tcw few when \ hen hr months fed ( ed die TnIy only from on ' eucalyptus E'ucalyptus tern leaves leases es , they al aie ate e diflicult difficult lfilCUU to toIeep tokeep tokeep I\eep I eep keep \ alive arise alh e In captivity captIvlty . . Because of their unique Interc&t Interct Intere.t Interet interest & : . and andthe andthe andthe the difliciilty dWlCUIty dithculty of ot keeping keeplog them alive ahve In Inconfinement inconfinement Inconfinement confinement , and becau because < : e of ot their now nowdecrea nowdecreased nowdecreased decrea decreased ed numbers numbeN , the Victorian gov gov- goy goyernment government government - ernment strictly forbids their capture capture.But captureBut . . But , In order that they may be seen seenunder seenunder seenunder under normal norm\l norm l ' \ conditions , they are grad grnd grad- gradually gradually . - ually U'1Jy U1Jy ' ] being established In suitable suitablephces suitableplaces suitableplaces phces places , where there is an fbundance ebundance fbundancennd ebundanceand fbundanceand nnd and vailcty vallety vailety of ot their natural foods . . It is now possible , within a 'l l ' two hour hourrun hourrun hourrun run of Melbourne Ielbourne , \ with lth its more than thana a million mlmon Inhabitants , to see the Koala KoalaIn Koalain KoalaIn In his native natl\e natl e \ gum trees treeq , , and it Is hoped hopedthrough , , through the exercise of strict protective protectivemeasures protectivemeasures measures , to preserve this Intel interesting interestinglittle intcicstinglittle estlng estlnglittle little animal for tor posterity . . "Joey Joey 'Joey " ' " Reared in PouchThe PouchThe Pouch PouchThe The Koala Is a marsupial , , having h1Ing hasing h1\ h1 \ Ing n a npouch apouch apouch pouch In which whlcb the single cub-"Joey cub "Joey Joey cub - - "Joey"In JoeyIn " . " , " In the language hnguage of the bush-after bush after bushafterbIrth bushafterbirth bush - afterbirth bIrth In a very Immatuie Immatm immature e state , , Is shel shel- sheltered shel- shel sheltered sheltered - - tered and fed for some months month . . When Whenabout Whenabout Whenabout about si si\ si 51\ 51 siInches 51Inches \ ' . Inches In length , it gradually graduallyleaCs graduallyleases graduallyleaves lea\Cs lea Cs leases \ the tbe pouch and spends Its hme time hmeIn timeIn timeIn In its mothers mother s arms , , not clasped clnsped by bythe bythe bythe the mother , because she needs all her hertoes hertoes hertoes toes for hanging onto the trees , , but butcBnglng butclinging butclinging cBnglng clinging to hci hel hei thick fur by b means ot of otits ofits ofIts its own sharp little clnw claws : , . , . This 'Ihls Ihls Zhis ' is the theu'U'11 theusual theusual u'U'11 uU11 usual : ' ' position of the young until It Is Isbig isbig Isbig big enough to look looh after Itself tseIt ! ; but it if itdanger ifdanger Itdanger danger threatens tbreatens , , necessitating necessitatiug actl\ actl actle actlse actlclimbing actlseclimbing activeclimbing \ e climbing on the part p'ut put ' of the mother , the theyoungster theyoungster theyoungster youngster quickly qulcl\ly qulcl ly \ clambers around up- up upon up upon - . on her back bac.k . , so as not to hamper h1mper her hermo hermos hermovements mo\ mo mos moements \ ements . There It hangs h1ngs on secure securely securely securely ly while she climbs to saret safety . . Koalas aie me are , , as a rule , , silent , but butwhen butsvhen butwhen when svhen friehtencd frlbhtened frihtened , or anno annoyed , } ed will w1l1 cry cryery crysery cryvery sery , ery much like hke a child In some ot of ottheIr oftheir oftheir theIr habits they closel closely resemble hu- hu human hu 1m human . - man m1n beings belns . ; , ; . . A . \ mother bear be\r be r ' \ has been beenseen beenseen beenseen seen to cuff cun : her little one , piobably plOb1bly probably fOl for forsome forsome " some transgre transgression slon of or bush uush law , until untilIt untilit untilIt It cried a as It if broken brol\en brol en \ hearted he1rted imearted he1rtedConh'1IY imeartedContiary heartedContiaiy Contiaiy Conh'1IY Conh1IY Contiary ' to \ what hat one might think thinktlie , , the beais be'llS bellS bens ' are"er are very \ " ver \"er "er er unsociable unsoclal.Jle unsoclalJle . amon among ' " themseh themselses amongthemselves amongthemselses cs It Is e extremely tremely rare r'lre rlre ' t to tofind tofind find more than th\n th n titan ' \ one In a tree , , unless It Itbe Itbe be a"ery a \ " very \"ery "ery ery large tree . . 1\ 1 : Even 1en Esen \ en "hel hel " vvlieie sslieie e they theyare theyare theyare are prefer falily fahly faluly abundant tho the they seem to pre- pre pre - - fer a solltaiy solltmy solitary life 11fe . . A few years ago ngo a number were werepl'1ced wereplaced pl'1ced pl1ced paced werepaced ' on I Island protection an hnd for their better pro- pro pro - - tection , and \ when hen visited vlslted later I1ter h'1d h1d had h'1dscnttered hadscattered hadscattered ' scnttered scattered over o\er o er oser \ the whole e extent e'rtent ertent ' tent of the thephce theplace theplace phce place , , none being bemg closer cOStr ] than th1n 200 OO or 300 or300 yards to another snottier . . |