MARSUPIALIA 



27 



these animals have all been killed off, "except the small brown rock- 

 wallaby, of which very few are now left." This latter species {Macropus 

 ualabatus) was also imported to Auckland by Mr John Reed, who 

 liberated them on Motutapu Island, where they are still common. 

 They also crossed the narrow neck of land to Rangitoto Island, where 

 they found a haven of rest, and where they are now abundant. 

 Colonel Boscawen says: "The Wallaby furnishes great sport in 

 shooting, and it is harder to hit than a rabbit, as when driven the 

 animal does not hop, but goes on all fours and dodges from side to 

 side, running at a great rate." Mr Cheeseman tells me that when 

 the Island of Kawau was sold, the new owners encouraged shooting 

 parties to go down — ^indeed contracts were let to kill the marsupials 

 off the island — ^and the slaughter was great. One informant, whose 

 name I have lost, told me that even in Sir George Grey's time, as 

 many as two hundred wallabies would be killed in a battue. This 

 gentleman considered them to be useless creatures, fit neither for 

 food nor fur. The consensus of opinion is that the flesh is not par- 

 ticularly attractive, but that the tails make excellent soup. This same 

 informant told me that at Kawau they ate out most of the vegetation, 

 and starved out most of the other animals, being assisted in this by 

 the hordes of opossums. They came out at nights in the fields, 

 grazing like sheep, and in the summer went into the garden, stripping 

 it of fruit and vegetables. 



There are still a few left about Kawau, not more than a dozen 

 or two, according to Colonel Boscawen. 



Pademelon Wallaby {Macropus thetidis) 

 The Auckland Society had some specimens of this species in 

 1869, but the number is not specified, nor what came of them. 



Kangaroo {Macropus species) 



Under this name various animals were introduced and liberated, 

 but it is quite impossible to identify the species. 



Note, du Petit-Thouars, who visited New Zealand in 1838, says 

 in the account of his voyage (p. 115): "Kangaroos have multiplied 

 very well, but it is much to be regretted that there, as in New Holland, 

 the colonists have not taken the trouble to look after them and increase 

 their numbers, instead of leaving them to perish." I have no idea 

 what animals he is referring to. 



The Canterbury Society received a pair of kangaroos from the 

 Rev. R. R. Bradley in 1866, and in 1868 a single large specimen 

 from Sir George Grey. The Society's Report for 1872 states that 

 there were "about 15 " in the gardens, but no further information 

 is vouchsafed. 



