574 ON DENDROLAGUS BENN ETTIANUS, DE VIS, 



be critical, the explorers considei-ed the flesh of this animal very 

 palatable. 



Our Tree Kangaroos were obtained through the instrumentality 

 of Mr. George Hislop, who, in response to my queries, has given 

 me the following additional opinions or information respecting 

 these interesting animals. He wx'ites : — " In its native state I 

 do not think the Tree Kangaroo would drink much water, if any, 

 for the simple reason that it is generally found on the coast 

 mountains about 1500 feet above sea level, and, as far as I know, 

 well within the tropics. The vegetation at that altitude is almost 

 invariably enveloped in moisture all night, just at the time when 

 these animals are out • feeding on it, so that they must get nearly 

 all the water they require with their food. In captivity I have 

 known them drink large quantities of water. 



" I have skinned twenty or thirty of these Tree Kangaroos, but 

 have never noticed any parasite under the skin."* 



My correspondent referred me to his son, Mr. Robert Hislop, 

 for further information, who kindly wrote to me from the Bloom- 

 field River as follows : — 



" The native name of the climbing kangaroo is Tcharibeena. 

 The blacks hunt them with dogs and are very fond of the flesh. 

 I had often heard the blacks talking about them, but though I 

 have been here nearly ten years, it was only about three years 

 ago that I succeeded in obtaining one. In the day time they are 

 found among the top branches of the trees and come down in the 

 evening to feed upon creepers, ferns and fruit. I have found 

 several down on the flat land, but as a rule they seem to be most 

 numerous on or near the top of the hill ridges here, which are 

 about 1500 to 2500 feet high. When found in the day time, the 

 animals are generally asleep with the heads hanging on the breasts 

 between the fore limbs, and the tail is used as a balancing pole. 



"At first I could not induce the blacks to catch any of the 

 Tcharibeenas, as they said that a full grown one would show fight, 

 but when I went with them and caught the first one myself with 



* Cf. " Among Cannibals," p. 235. 



