Depraved Taste in Animals

Abstract

WHILE in Australia I kept at different times several koalas—all taken young. Of these three were inordinately fond of tobacco in any form. They would chew and swallow the strong Victorian black tobacco with the greatest gusto, and one, to which I gave a foul clay pipe saturated with tobacco oil, devoured the whole of the stem. Sitting on the nape of my neck, his usual place when I was writing or reading in the evening, “Ka-koo” would frequently stretch out one hand, take the pipe from my mouth, and begin to chew it if not promptly interfered with. During the day he passed most of his time rolled up on the rafters of the roof, bush houses being devoid of a ceiling, and on hearing the clinking of glasses, which betokened the preparation of the evening glass of grog, hurried down from his perch to receive his modest share of whisky and water. If a spoon were dipped in the raw spirit and given to him, he would take it in both his paws and lick it dry with manifest appreciation, and could only be prevented from making a raid upon every glass on the table by being tied with a handkerchief by the leg to the back of a chair. No ill effects ever followed these indulgences.