29 



Capt. Cook was stationed on the Coast of New Hol- 

 land. It is the only quadruped our colonists have 

 yet met with in New South Wales that supplies 

 them with animal food. There are two kinds ; the 

 largest that has been shot weighed about 140tfcs, 

 and measured from the point of the nose to the end 

 of the tail 6 feet 1 inch ; the tail 2 feet 1 inch ; 

 head 8 inches ; fore leg 1 foot ; hind legs 2 feet 8 

 inches ; circumference of the fore part of the body 

 near the leg 1 foot 1 inch ; and of the hind part 

 3 feet. The smaller kinds seldom exceed OOtbs. 

 This animal is furnished with a pouch similar to that 

 of the Opossum, in which its young are nursed and 

 sheltered. It feeds on grass and other vegetable 

 substances. In their native state these animals are 

 said to feed in herds of thirty or forty together ; and 

 one is generally observed to be stationed as if 

 apparently on the watch, at a distance from the rest. 

 One of the most remarkable peculiarities of the 

 Kangaroo is the extraordinary faculty which it pos- 

 sesses of separating at pleasure, to a considerable 

 distance, the two fore teeth in the lower jaw. The 

 Kangaroo may be considered in some degree as 

 naturalized in England, several having been kept 

 for many years in the Royal domains at Richmond, 

 which have during their residence there produced 

 young, and promise to render this most elegant 

 animal a permanent acquisition to our country. 



6. The Bush Kangaroo, Not described by any 

 writer. 



7. and 8, Kangaroo Rats (Didelphis Tridactyla). 

 This species, which from its colour and the general 



aspect of its upper parts, has obtained the title of the 



Kangaroo Rat j is about the size of a rabbit; the ge- 



F 



