Denise Carissimo, age 11, of Youngstown, Ohio, for her question:

WHERE DO BANDICOOTS LIVE?

Actually two animals go by the name "bandicoot." They are not related and, in fact, live in separate parts of the world. The word "bandicoot" comes from the Tegula language of India and means "pig rat." This serves to identify a ratty¬type rodent found in that country. The other bandicoot is a small, pouched animal found in Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea. To avoid confusion, the Australian bandicoot is called bandicoot, while the Indian bandicoot is called bandicoot rat.

The Australian bandicoot, a nighttime animal, spends its daylight hours sleeping. It is at home in hollow logs, long burrows in the ground or any other secretive hideout. Some are as small as mice, while others may grow to be as large as rabbits. Like the kangaroo, the female bandicoot has a handy pouch to cart junior around in. Their diet includes meat in the form of insects and worms, and for their salad plate they enjoy munching on roots and tubers. Needless to say, their habits at the salad bar have earned them a reputation as a pest. However, despite the harm it does, it is a charming animal and is often kept as a pet in its homeland.