ago THE GREAT KANGUROO. 



lies in a groove, formed in the middle of the tongue^ 

 and well adapted to that purpose. It seems proba- 

 ble that in the first state it is attached to the teat 

 by a viscid gelatinous substance, which is always 

 found in the uterus. At this time, feeble as it may 

 appear in other respects, the fore paws are, com- 

 paratively, large and strong, and the claws extremely 

 distinct, to facilitate the motion of the little animal 

 during its residence in the large pouch : while the 

 hind legs, vs'hich are afterwards to become very long 

 and stout, are now both shorter and smaller than the 

 others, The young one continues to reside in the 

 pouch till it has attained its full maturity, occasion- 

 ally running out for exercise or amusement ; and 

 even after it has quitted this maternal retreat, it 

 often runs into it for shelter on the least appearance 

 of danger *. 



The Kanguroos live entirely on vegetable substan- 

 ces, and chiefly on grass. In their native state 

 they are said to feed in herds of thirty or forty to^ 

 gether ; and one is generally observed to be station- 

 ed, aj^^parently on v.atch, at a distance from the rest. 

 According to Labillardiere, they seem to be noc- 

 turnal animals. They have the eye furnished with 

 nictitating or winking membranes, situated at the 

 interior angle, and capable of being extended at 

 pleasure entirely over the ball. — They live in bur- 

 rows which they form in the ground -}"-. 



One of the most remarkable peculiarities of this 

 animal, is the extraordinary faculty which it has of 



* Phil. Tian. for 1795. Part i. p. 21. t LaWlaidiere, i. 177. ii. 18. 



