VARIETIES OF KANGAROO 187 



THE KANGAROO FAMILY 



Macropodidae 



In Australia, the land of queer things, nearly all the land 

 mammals are marsupials. The Order includes the kangaroos, 

 large and small; wombat, Tasmanian wolf, Tasmanian devil, 

 koala and many others. All kangaroos come either from 

 Australia, Tasmania or New Guinea, but one group of small 

 wallabies extends its range to New Britain and the Aru 

 Islands. The great majority of these creatures dwell on 

 the ground in the open plains, or in the "bush" of Australia. 

 In northern Queensland and New Guinea are four species of 

 Tree Kangaroos, which actually climb trees and inhabit them. 



The largest species is the great GRAY KANGAROO, 1 also 

 called "Old man" and "Boomer," which stands over 4 feet 

 high, weighs nearly 200 pounds, and when frightened can 

 leap twenty feet or more. The smallest species are the RAT 

 KANGAROOS, some of which are but 14 inches high. Despite 

 their nocturnal habits specimens are frequently seen in cap- 

 tivity. One of the handsomest of all the species is the RED 

 KANGAROO, 2 a creature about 4 feet high, frequently seen in 

 captivity, and quickly recognized by its brick-red color and 

 fine, silky hair. Several small species of Kangaroos are called 

 WAL'LABIES, and the species figured herewith is a good repre- 

 sentative of this whole Family. 



The Kangaroo is a strange variation in form from the 

 ordinary terrestrial mammal. Its extremely long, strong hind 

 legs and massive tail, also of great length, form a wonderful 



1 Mac-ro'pus gi-gan'te-us. 2 MacropuS ru'fus. 



