NATURAL 
HIS fingular quadruped at 
firft fight, on account of the 
extreme difproportionate shortnefs 
of the fore legs, feems to belong to 
the Ferboa genus, but a further in- 
fpection will immediately prove, 
thatit is related to that of the Ofoffum. 
The length of the fpecimens brought 
over to England hitherto has varied 
much; the longeft eight feet five 
inches from the tip of the nofe to 
the end of the tail; and fome have 
been found to weigh as far as 150 
pounds, though it is generally be- 
lieved, that this is by no means the ~ 
largeft fize they will arrive at. The 
greateft circumference of the ani- 
mal is round the bottom of the 
belly and hips; being very {mall 
about the head and neck, and en- 
creafing gradually downwards ; the 
fore legs of the largeft yet feen 
were nineteen inches in length; the 
hinder ones three feet feven inches ; 
the tail two feet three quarters, 
pretty thick at the rump, and run- 
ning tapering to the end. ‘The ears 
are pretty large, and for the mof 
part ftand erect, the make of the 
head not inelegant, fomewhat re- 
fembling that of a fawn. In the 
Upper jew are fix cuttiny teeth and 
four grinders, with a vacant fpace 
between, as there are no canine 
teeth. In the under jaw are two 
cutting teeth, which are very long, 
greatly refembling thofe of a fquir- 
rel, with four grinders, to anfwer 
thofe above. The fore legs are 
furnifhed with five toes, and as 
many claws, but their fhortnefs pre- 
vents their being applied to the pur- 
pofe of walking; and the ufe the 
animal makes of them is merely for 
digging holes, or bringing the food 
to its mouth. The hinder legs are 
very ftrong, and when fitting, the 
_Kanguroo refts on them the whole 
HISTORY. 79 
of their length, the rump being ele- 
vated feveral inches from the 
ground ; the under part of them is 
callous and bare. The toes are 
only three in number, the middle 
one exceeding the others greatly in 
length and ftrength, but the inner 
one is of a peculiar ftructure ; at 
firtt fight appearing fingle, though 
on further infpection, it is really 
divided down the middle, as well 
as the ball of the toe belonging to 
it, appearing as if feparated by a 
fharp inftrument. The tail, when 
the animal is at reft, feems to lie at 
eafe behind it, but when in motion 
is carried for the moft part quite 
erect, The general colour of the 
whole fkin is pale brown, inclining 
to afh-colour, but the under parts 
are much paler than the upper. 
' We have reafon to believe that 
the above is only an inhabitant of 
New Holland, at leaft none hzve 
yet been met with in ary other 
place, and it has been faid that there 
are two forts, a greater and a 
{maller, but the laf we are inclined 
to think is not yet fufficiently af- 
certained. From the make of the 
animal, it is no wonder that its pro- 
greflive motion can only be by 
leaps, which have been known to 
exceed twenty feet at a time, and 
this fo often repeated, as almoft to 
clude the fwiftnefs of the beft grey- 
hound; befides which, it will fre- 
quently bound over obftacles of nine 
‘feet or more in height, with the 
_greateft eafe ; and if by chance it is 
overtaken py a dog, its ftrugzles 
and itrength are fo great, that it 
foon releafes itfelf to aft the fame 
part over again; added to which, 
it will often ufe the tail as a weapon 
of offence, ftriking fo hard with it 
as to make the dog fhy of encoun- 
tering with it. ‘The only method 
therefore 
