194 THE KANGAROOS. 



The above description is taken from a fine male 

 specimen preserved in the Museum of the Zoological 

 Society. The female is rather smaller than the male. 



Inhabits New South Wales and Van Dicmeu's 

 Land. 



Shaw's second name {Macropus 7najor,) is very 

 commonly used for this species, but that author fol- 

 lowing Gmelin, and some other older authors, used the 

 specific name Giganteus, when he originally described 

 it in his Naturalist's Miscellany. As both names are 

 equally applicable, I have adopted the oldest. 



The great Kangaroo was first discovered in Cook's 

 first voyage, in 1?70, whilst that celebrated navigator 

 was stationed for a short time on the coast of New 

 South Wales. 



" On Friday, June 22d," says Captain Cook, '' a 

 party who were engaged in shooting pigeons for the 

 use of the sick of the ship, saw an animal which they 

 described to be as large as a grey-hound, of a slender 

 make, of a mouse colour, and extremely swift." 

 The same kind of animal was soon after seen by 

 several of Cook's party and by Cook himself as well 

 as Sir Joseph (then Mr.) Banks, and ultimately the 

 wishes of the party to examine this extraordinary 

 animal were gratified, Mr. Gore, one of the associates 

 of the expedition, having been so fortunate as to shoot 

 one, "and it seems" observes Dr. Shaw, '''to have 

 been from this specimen that the figure given in the 

 voyage was drawn." 



Pennant's account of the habits of the Kangrtroo 

 contains much in a small compass, I will, therefore, 

 give it in his own words. 



