THE GREATER KANGAROO. 281 



lacerate the bodies of their assailants. When, however, they 

 are not annoyed, and compelled to exercise such powers in the 

 protection of their lives, they are not only perfectly harmless 

 but timid. 



Numerous specimens have been kept in the public and private 

 parks and menageries of England at various times, and they 

 became almost naturalized, appearing but little affected by 

 the change of climate. When kept in this state they are 

 fed upon green vegetables, hay, oats, bran, and bread, and 

 are extremely tame, good tempered, and not in the least 

 mischievous. Mr. Bennett makes the curious observation, that 

 when confined in a small enclosure they generally traverse its 

 circuit, seldom crossing it, or passing in any other direction, 

 except for the purpose of procuring their food. A female, which 

 had been kept, and suffered to roam at large in the Royal Park 

 at Windsor, was placed in the Tower Menagerie, where it once 

 produced young. If kept in a park or paddock, they breed very 

 readily. 



The Zoological Society kept several of these animals at their 

 farm, at Kingston, for the purpose of breeding ; and it appears 

 from the official returns, that since the discontinuance of that 

 establishment, seven kangaroos were bred at the Gardens, 

 Regent's Park, between June 1, 1830, K December 31, 1837. 



Some years ago there was a remarkably fine pair of kangaroos 

 in Exeter 'Change. The male would sometimes wrestle with the 

 keeper for the space of ten or fifteen minutes, during which 

 time he evinced the utmost intrepidity and sagacity 5 turning 

 in every direction to face his opponent, carefully watching an 

 opportunity to close with him, and occasionally grasping him 

 with his fore paws, while the right hind leg was employed in 

 kicking him upon the thigh and hip. The struggle was some- 

 times obstinate, and the keeper acknowledged that the animal 

 was almost superior in point of strength. 



There are some extraordinary physiological facts connected 

 with the development of the young kangaroo ; and which, as 

 they have not hitherto appeared in any general history of the 



