- 
80. 
therefore to obtain them, is to lie 
in wait with a gun, and {hoot them. 
Tt is faid, however, that the natives 
have the art of catching them more 
eafily. 
The male is immediately known 
by the fize of the fcrotum, which is 
large and diftinct. ‘The female, on 
examination, is furnified with a 
large bag or pouch, as ufual in this 
genus, within which are two nipples, 
to which the foetufes after their firft 
exclufion adhere, being defended in 
the pouch, till they arrive at full 
maturity ; and even after this have 
been obferved to run into the pouch 
as a place of fhelter, on which oc- 
cafion the tender mother contracts 
the part fo violently together, that 
it cannot be opened without the 
greatelt difficulty. 
The dimenfions of a ftuffed kan- 
guroo now in England, are as fol- 
low: 
Length from the point of 
the nofe to the end of Feet. In. 
theltagl' Fn -% 2 8) 
Length of the tail + - 3 1 
eee EAM oa O° AT 
——_——_—-—- forelegs- 2 0 
—-hindlegs 3 7 
Circumference of the fore 
part by thelegs - - I 9 
———— low- 
er parts - = a 5 
Round the thicker part of 
the tail, which gradual- 
ly tapers totheend - 1 i 
The above is the largeft kangu- 
roo that has yet been feen, and there 
is every reafon to believe that even 
this had not nearly attained its full 
growth. 
Lieutenant Shortland defcribes 
them as feeding in herds of about 
thirty or forty, and aflures us, that 
ANNUAL REGISTER, - i496. 
one is always obferved to be appa- 
rently upon the watch, at a diftancd — 
from the reft. 2 
* 
Defeription of the Marmot. From 
Coxe’s Travels in Switzerland; 
Vol. iil. 
oT HE marinot is extremely 
common in the mountains of 
Switzerland, and particularly in this 
part of the Grifons; and, as many 
erroneoiis accounts of this fagacious 
little animal have been given,'I 
fhall fend you the following extract; 
felected from a defcription writtent — 
in the German tongue, by Dr. Gir- 
taner; which cannot fail being 
highly interefting to all, who love 
to fearch into the ceconomy of na= 
ture. 
The marmot inhabits the higheft 
and moit inacceflible mountains $3 _ 
prefers the {mall narrow valleys, 
and particularly the weftern or — 
fouthern afpect, as the warmieft, and — 
avoids moift places. On the open= 
ing of fpring, when he iffues from: 
his hole, where he has flept during — 
winter, he defcénds to the lower re- 
gions, where vegetation is forwards — 
In fummer he again afcends to the 
rocky heights, and into folitary ca- 
He feeds upon herbs and © 
roots, and particularly on the al- © 
pine plantain, mountain fpingel, al- 
verns. 
pine ladies mantle, mountain forrel; 
alpine toad-flax, alpine trefoil, and ~ 
When tame, he | 
alpine ftarwort. 
eats almoft every thing except flefh. 
On drinking, he raifes up his head . 
like fowls at every fig, looking on 
each fide with a timorous watch- 
fulnefs. 
fatnefs. He is extremely fond of 
butter and milk. 
He drinks but little, to 
which Dr, Amitcin attributes his 
a 
