G NATUEAL HISTOBY SKETCHES, 



think as much of them if they are merely thrown over a 

 pole to dry. In skinning a kangaroo, get the neck-skin 

 as full as possible ; and this depends much upon how you 

 open down the fore leg. If the skin is to be dressed with 

 the hair on, and the head and feet perfect, as a curiosity, 

 be careful in skinning out the toes, and cut as much flesh 

 from the lips and ears as possible, and soak the skin in a 

 strong solution of alum and saltpetre, or the feet and ears 

 will go. Be careful that no blood clots on the skin, or the 

 hair will very likely come oif and leave a bare place when 

 dressed. If skinned and dried properly, it may be sent 

 to the tanners or curriers at any time ; and although the 

 shooter can prepare the skins himself, the process is long 

 and tedious, and if he wants to make a rug, he had best 

 have the skius dressed by a currier. 



We had, I fancy, two distinct species of kangaroo in 

 our forests. The large one, which we used commonly to 

 kill, and this we found in large mobs both in the timber 

 and on the plains, and a rather smaller variety, darker in 

 colour and redder under the belly. These were generally 

 in more secluded situations, among the honeysuckle scrub 

 in deep gullies, in smaller droves, rarely exceeding a 

 dozen. 



The flesh of the kangaroo is very inferior to venison in 

 flavour, and in juice and nourishment not to be com- 

 pared to mutton. It tastes dry and insipid when dressed 

 bush fashion, but the tails make famous soup when 

 served up by Mr. Williams, in Melbourne, as " kangaroo 

 steamer." There is rarely any fat inside the carcass, 



