Tree-Kangaroos. 509 



week's purchase had I ventured to live alone and unprotected 

 as at Dorey. On board the steamer they had a pair of tree- 

 kangaroos aliv^e. They differ chiefly from the ground-kanga- 

 roo m having a more hairy tail, not thickened at the base, and 

 not used as a prop ; and by the powerful claws on the fore- 

 feet, by Avhich they grasp the bark and branches, and seize the 

 leaves on which they feed. They move along by short jumps 

 on their hind-feet, which do not seem particularly well adapted 

 for climbing trees. It has been supposed that these tree-kanga- 

 roos are a special adaptation to the swampy, half-drowned for- 

 ests of New Guinea, in place of the usual form of the group, 

 which is adapted only to dry ground. Mr. Windsor Earl 

 makes much of this theory, but, unfortunately for it, the tree- 

 kangaroos, are chiefly found in the northern peninsula of New 

 Guinea, which is entirely composed of hills and mountains 

 with very little flat land, while the kangaroo of the low flat Aru 

 Islands (Dorcopsis asiaticus) is a ground species. A more 

 probable supposition seems to be, that the tree-kangaroo has 

 been modified to enable it to feed on foliage in the vast forests 

 of New Guinea, as these form the great natural feature which 

 distinguishes that country from Austi'alia. 



On June 5th, the coal-ship arrived, having been sent back 

 from Amboyna, with the addition of some fresh stores for the 

 steamer. The wood, which had been almost all taken on board, 

 was now unladen again, the coal taken in, and on the iVth both 

 steamer and tender left for Humboldt Bay. We were then a 

 little quiet again, and got something to eat ; for while the ves- 

 sels were here every bit of fish or vegetable was taken on 

 board, and I had often to make a small parroquet serve for 

 two meals. My men now returned from Amberbaki, but, alas ! 

 brought me almost nothing. They had visited several villages, 

 and even went two days' journey into the interior, but could 

 find no skins of birds of paradise to purchase, except the com- 

 mon kind, and very few even of those. The birds found were 

 the same as at Dorey, but were still scarcer. None of the 

 natives anywhere near the coast shoot or prepare birds of 

 paradise, which come from far in the interior over two or 

 three ranges of mountains, passing by barter from village to 

 village till they reach the sea. There the natives of Dore}' 



