THE KANGAROO. 



C. C. M. 



THE Kangaroos are regarded as 

 among the most remarkable of 

 mammals. Everything about 

 them is extraordinary; their 

 movements and their attitudes when at 

 rest, the way they seek their food, 

 their reproduction, their development, 

 and their mental qualities. Twenty 

 and thirty years ago, it is said, the vis- 

 itor to Australia could see more Kan- 

 garoos to the square mile than there 

 are jack rabbits to-day, and it was lit- 

 erally impossible to avoid the countless 

 flocks that swarmed over the whole 

 island. Walsh says that, with a good 

 rifle, he could take a position on a rock 

 and shoot all day long, until tired of 

 the monotony of the slaughter, or un- 

 til some "old man" kangaroo became 

 desperate at his killing and decided to 

 turn the table upon him. In those 

 days men were paid liberally by the 

 sheepowners to kill off the kangaroos, 

 and it is stated that one hunter would 

 kill several hundred a day, and one 

 man is known to have cleared ;^4,500, 

 free of living expenses, in a single year. 

 The visitor to Australia to-day discov- 

 ers a decided change in many ways, but 

 not more so than in the comparative 

 scarcity of this animal. He may re- 

 side on the island for a month or two 

 and not see one kangaroo. There are 

 still large numbers of them, but they 

 must be hunted up and their favorite 

 feeding-places located by guides. The 

 sheepherders caused the creatures to 

 be destroyed in such numbers before 

 they became of any commercial value 

 that they are now rarely found outside 

 of the "bush." About three hundred 

 miles back from the coast thousands 

 can still be found. The country 

 abounds in straggling bushes, with very 

 few tall trees or woods to obstruct 

 travel; but the bushes, while in the 

 open country, are tall enough to make 

 good hiding-places for the marsupials. 

 They feed on the grass, roots, and 

 leaves, and when startled by a hunter, 

 leap over the bushes as easily as a rab- 

 bit jumps over the tufts of grass. 



The hind legs of the kangaroo are 



powerful weapons. One long claw, 

 hard as bone or steel, and sharp as a 

 knife at the point, gives the kangaroo 

 an implement, says a writer in the Sci- 

 e?itific American, that can kill a man or 

 beast with one blow. The front paws 

 are not so strong, but an old fellow has 

 strength enough in them to seize a dog 

 and hold him under the water until 

 dead. On land they will seize an en- 

 emy and hold him until the hind claws 

 can cut him nearly in two. They are 

 also good boxers, and when the na- 

 tives attempt to kill them with clubs 

 they dodge the implements with all the 

 skill of a professional pugilist, and un- 

 less the man is an expert he may get 

 the worst of the encounter. Quite a 

 number of hunters have been severely 

 injured, and some killed, by attempting 

 to corner a wounded kangaroo when 

 enraged by a bullet wound. The fleet- 

 est horse cannot keep pace with any 

 of the larger kangaroos, but with a 

 little tact the hunters are enabled to 

 capture them wheneverthey are sighted. 

 When the creatures are once started on 

 a run, they will not swerve from their 

 course, but continue straight onward, 

 leaping over bushes, rocks, and all or- 

 dinary obstacles. The hunters gener- 

 ally station themselves in the line that 

 the animals are most likely to pursue, 

 and then wait until the dogs or the rest 

 of the party start them up. 



The ordinary gait of the kangaroo, 

 which it assumes principally when 

 grazing, is a heavy, awkward hobble. 

 It supports its forefeet on the ground 

 and then pushes the hinder legs on be- 

 tween them. While doing so it must 

 also support itself on its tail, as else it 

 could not lift its long hinder legs high 

 enough to render such movements pos- 

 sible. But it remains in this position 

 no longer than is absolutely necessary. 

 Whenever it has plucked some favorite 

 plant, it assumes the erect position to 

 consume it. In their sleep the smaller 

 species adopt a position similar to 

 that of a hare in its form. Closely 

 crouched to the ground, they squat 

 down on all fours, the tail being 



