THE 



ZOOLOGICAL MAGAZINE. 





The FASCIATED KANGAROO, (Halmaturus fas- 

 ciatus, Cuv.) 



A HE organic productions of Australia, whether vegetable or 

 animal, have for the most part characters so peculiar to them- 

 selves, that they seem rather to have been contemporaneous 

 with the fossilized relics of the older strata, than with the 

 animated productions of the present period ; and to have es- 

 caped those revolutions which have changed the surface of the 

 rest of the globe. 



Among the quadrupeds especially, the most remarkable 

 modifications of form and structure have been discovered, — 

 of which, after the Duck-billed Platypus and the Porcupine 

 Ant-eater, we may consider the Kangaroo as presenting one 

 of the most striking examples. 



The first discovery of this singular animal was made in 1 7/0, 

 during the period in which our celebrated navigator Captain 

 Cook was exploring that part of the coast of Australia which 

 is now called New South Wales. 



" On Friday, June 22nd, (he says,) a party who were en- 

 gaged in shooting pigeons for the use of the sick of the ship, 

 saw an animal which they described to be as large as a grey- 

 hound, of a slender make, of a mouse-colour, and extremely 

 swift." The following day the same kind of animal was again 

 seen by a great many other people. On the 24th it was seen by 

 Capt. Cook himself, who, walking at a little distance from the 

 shore, observed a quadruped, which he thought bore some re- 

 semblance to a greyhound, and was of a light mouse- colour, 

 with a long tail, and which he should have taken for a kind of 

 wild dog, had not its extraordinary manner of leaping, in- 

 stead of running, convinced him of the contrary. Sir Joseph 

 (then Mr.) Banks, whose association with Capt. Cook ren- 

 dered that voyage so peculiarly fortunate for the interests of 

 natural history, having obtained a transient view of it, im- 

 mediately concluded it to be an animal perfectly new and un- 

 described. 



On the 17th of July, this gentleman, accompanied by a 

 small party, went out at dawn of day in quest of discoveries 

 in natural history; and, in a walk of many miles, at length 

 saw four of these animals, two of which were chased by his 

 greyhound, but readily outstripped their pursuer, and throw 

 him out to a great distance, by leaping over the long grass, 



Z00L Mas?. No. 5. k 



