2 TSATUEAL HISTOBY SKETCHES. 



tifally adapted to their purpose. They are three-jointed, 

 the thigh-bone similar in shape to the shoulder-blade of 

 other animals ; being broad, and deeply grooved for the 

 insertion of the powerful muscles which give such force 

 to the spring of the kangaroo. The second joint is very 

 long, being nothing more than bone and sinew, and the 

 tendon, which runs down it, behind the hock, into the 

 foot of the animal, is immensely powerful. The foot, 

 which forms the third joint, is from 12 to 18 inches 

 long, according to age, and is tipped or armed with a 

 thick sharp-pointed nail, two to three inches long. It is 

 also furnished with a smaller nail on the outside, higher 

 up, and two small claws joined together inside the joint 

 opposite ; and a thick, leathery, rough kind of skin runs 

 down behind the hock to the toe, and this is spongy on 

 the ball of the foot. "What would be the hock in another 

 animal, appears to be the heel of the kangaroo ; for you 

 often see the print of the whole lower joint of the leg in 

 soft ground : I fancy this is when the kangaroo is run- 

 ning slowly. I am no comparative anatomist, but I should 

 say that both the outer and inner formation of the 

 animal would form a beautiful study. The fore-arms are 

 short, and the paws broad and large, resembling those of 

 a beast of prey, being armed with five long sharp claws. 

 These marsupial animals form a class to themselves, 

 otherwise it would be difficult to assign a plac& to the 

 kangaroo, were we to take the feet or teeth as a guide. 

 In form, the hind leg is similar to that of a hare, and 

 when in an upright position, the kangaroo rests upon its 



