Gf) INTRODUCTION. 



In a letter addressed to the Secretary of the Zoo- 

 logical Society, and read before the Scientific Meet- 

 ing on the 14th July 1840, Sir Robert Heron states 

 that a young Kangaroo had by some accident got out 

 of the pouch of its mother before the proper time, 

 and some hours having elapsed before he could find 

 his keeper, the little animal., which was quite naked, 

 was scarcely alive when he arrived the keeper how- 

 ever took it home, gave it milk, and by careful treat- 

 ment, it quite recovered; it was then restored to the 

 pouch, where it had remained five days, at the time 

 that a second letter from Sir R. Heron announced 

 the fact to the Society, and appeared perfectly 

 well. 



Mr. Collie* describes the young of a species of 

 Kangaroo (probably that described in this work under 

 the name of Derbianus,) which he saw at Buache, or 

 Garden Island, Western Australia, as being <e nearly 

 the size of the last and half the middle joint of one's 

 little finger ; its integuments of a flesh colour, and 

 so transparent as to permit the higher coloured ves- 

 sels and viscera to shine through them." This little 

 foetus Mr. Collie detached from the nipple, and shortly 

 afterwards he placed the extremity of the teat close to 

 its mouth, and having held it there for a short time 

 without perceiving any decided effort on the part of 

 the young animal to regain its hold, he allowed the 

 pouch to close. " An hour afterwards the young 



* " On some particulars connected with the Natural His- 

 tory of the Kangaroos." Zoological Journal, vol. \. p. 239. 



