THE KANGAROO. 



THIS animal was unknown to the naturalists of former 

 ages, and for the knowledge of which we are indebted to 

 the improvements in navigation, and the discoveries of 

 modern times. It is a most curious animal, and a native 

 of New Holland, where it was first discovered by Captain 

 Cook. Its head, neck, and shoulders are small, the lower 

 parts of the body much thicker. Its ears are large, erect, 

 and of a pointed oval shape, the end of the nose black, with 

 whiskers both on the upper and lower jaws. The tail is 

 long and taper, being very thick and strong where it joins 

 the body, and tapering to a point ; and the animal is capa- 

 ble of striking with it with such force as will break a man's 

 leg. But the most remarkable singularity of this animal is 

 the construction and proportion of its limbs, in which it re- 

 sembles the Jerboa. The fore legs are extremely short, 

 and are used only for conveying its food to its mouth, and 

 for digging in the ground. 



It moves entirely on its hind legs, which are generally 

 three and a half feet long, while the fore legs are but 

 twenty inches. On these, with the assistance of its tail, it 

 springs with such force and rapidity as to outstrip the 

 fleetest greyhound ; making successive bounds of from 

 twenty to thirty feet. It leaps from rock to rock in an as- 



