THE KANGAROO* 



Asia. It makes its nest of the finest herbage, rolls it- 

 self up with its head between its thighs, and during 

 the winter remains in a torpid state without taking 

 any food. When pursued it springs with such agility 

 that its feet scarcely seem to touch the ground. It 

 is easily tamed, appears fond of warmth., and, by wrap- 

 ping itself up close with hay, it seems to be sensible 

 of the approach of cold weather. 



THE KANGAROO 



is an animal unknown to .the naturalists of former age?, 

 and for the knowledge of which we are indebted to 

 the improvement of navigation, and the discoveries of 

 modern times. It is a native of New Holland, where 

 it was hrst discovered by Sir Joseph Banks. Its head, 

 neck and shoulders are small, the lower parts of the 

 body much thicker, especially towards the rump, its 

 ears are large and erect, the end of the nose black, 

 tvith whiskers on both the upper and lower jaws. Its 

 tail is long and taper, being very thick near th 

 rump, and narrowing to a point. But the most re- 

 markable singularity in this animal is the construction 

 of its legs, iii which it resembles the Jerboa. The 

 fore legs are extremely short, and only used for dig- 

 ging in the ground, or carrying its food to its mouth. 

 It moves entirely on its hind legs, ,\vhich are nearly 

 as long as its whole body. On these it springs with 

 such strength and rapidity as to outstrip the fleetest 

 greyhound, making successive bounds of ten or 

 twelve feet. It leaps from rock to rock in an asto- 

 nishing manner, and over bushes seven or eight feet 

 high, without apparent eiibrr. 



The Kangaroo is generally of an ash colour: it 

 feeds entirely on vegetables and its flesh is whole- 

 some and palatable food. There are two kinds, a 

 larger and a smaller; the largest that has been shot 

 weighed HOlb. and measured in length, from the 

 point of the nose to the rump, four feet, and its tail 

 two feet one inch: the length of the fore legs was one 

 foot, and that of the hind legs two feet eight inches. 

 The smaller kind seldom weighs above GOlb. 



This animal is furnished with a pouch in which its 



