23 JULY 1988, Page 21

Wombat outrage

Sir: I must object to P. J. Kavanagh describing the Australian wombat as 'a kind of small brown-furred pig' (Life and letters, 4 June). Several friends to whom I read this remark were, like myself, out- raged. The wombat is, in fact, an 'herbi- vorous marsupial mammal esp. of genus Phascolomys, like small bear' (Concise Oxford Dictionary). With manners like this, it is small won- der that Mr Kavanagh is having such trouble finding a drink during his southern tour.

Paul Gray

3/4 Clyde Street, East Kew, Victoria 3102