THE FASCIATED KANGAROO. 131 



loped in a single sheath of skin as far as the claws, which are 

 small, curved and distinct; the next toe is very large and long, 

 armed with a very powerful sharp- pointed claw, or rather elon- 

 gated hoof, with which the kangaroo can inflict very severe 

 wounds : the outer toe is almost as strong as the preceding; 

 but is shorter and its claw somewhat weaker : the under sur- 

 face of the foot is naked as far as the projecting heel or hock; 

 the leg is twice the length of the thigh. The hair of the kan- 

 garoo is of two kinds, silky and woolly; the first kind is only 

 found on the limbs, the head, and the tail, whilst the woolly 

 hair covers all the rest of the body; a few short black stiff bris- 

 tles appear on the upper lip, the eyebrows, and beneath the 

 eyes and the throat. The eyes are large with a mild expres- 

 sion, the pupils large and round; the ears are of a moderate 

 size and simple structure; the nostrils are patulous and sur- 

 rounded by a hair-clad skin; the tongue is smooth; and the 

 upper lip divided, like that of the hare or rabbit. 



The dentition of the kangaroo presents a combination of 

 characters from the Rodent, the Ruminant, and the Pachyder- 

 matous orders. Laniaries or tusks are wanting: the incisors 

 are six in number in the upper jaw, and two only in the lower 

 jaw; they are separated from the molaries by a wide space. 

 The upper incisors are in contact with each other, disposed 

 in a curved line, short, flat and trenchant : the lower ones are 

 large, straight, somewhat flattened, pointed, closely approxi- 

 mated to each other, and lying parallel to the plane of the jaw, 

 or directed straight forwards. The molaries are in some four, 

 in others five, on either side of either jaw; the first is of a com- 

 pressed form, with a trenchant and slightly serrate crown; 

 this is shed in some of the species, while in others it is re- 

 tained, which gives rise to the difference in number just men- 

 tioned; the other four have square crowns, formed of two 

 transverse ridges, united at their base by a projection, but 

 leaving a simple flattened surface when worn down by attri- 

 tion. They are herbivorous animals, generally living in small 

 troops under the guidance of an old male, frequenting the 

 wooded regions of Australia, but readily propagating in our 

 climate ; and since their flesh is esteemed for its flavour, they 

 might form a useful addition to our stock of domesticated ani- 

 mals, as well as an ornament to our parks and forests. 



They appear to be a very hardy race : the naturalists who 

 accompanied M. Freycinet relate that in the sterile region of 

 the Bay of Seals, where there is an absolute want of fresh 

 water, the kangaroos still find a subsistence, and satisfy their 

 thirst with sea- water. On board ship, although from their 

 digestive system essentially herbivorous, yet they would eat 

 any kind of viand, as bread, sugar, and even salt-beef, or old 



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