POUCHED QUADRUPEDS. 127 



or rush at an object, and then return to its owner's feet; or throw 

 it at the ground and make it leap over a tree and strike an object 

 at the other side. There are many species of kangaroo, the most 

 extraordinary being the Tree Kangaroo, which can hop about on 

 trees, and has curved claws on its fore paws, like those of the 

 sloth, tc enable it to hold on the branches. All the kangaroos 

 and the opossums are supplied by Nature with the pouch, in 

 which to deposit their young, from which they are called "mar- 

 Bupiated" animals, from the Latin word marsupium, a purse or 

 pouch. 



The kangaroos make no use of their short fore legs except 

 in grazing, when they rise upon them and their tail, bring their 

 hind legs forward, and go nibbling upon Ml fours, pulling u^ occa- 

 sionally some favorite plant with their fore paw, and sitting up 

 bold and erect upon their hind houghs and tail, while they slowly 

 bite and nibble it, shifting it from paw to paw, like a boy protract- 

 ing his' repast on a juicyapple. When chased, they hop upon 

 their hind legs, bounding onwards at a most amazing rate, the tail 

 wagging as they leap, and serving them for a balance. They will 

 bound over gullies, and down declivities, the distance of thirty 

 yards, and fly right over the tops of low brushwood ; so that, in 

 such places, dogs stand very little chance with them ; but in a 

 clear open country soon tire them out. The dogs seize them gene- 

 rally by the hip, and throw them over ; then fasten upon theii 

 throats and finish them. But few dogs will attack a large kangaroo 

 singly, some of the two hundred weight size often hopping off 

 with three or four assailants hanging about them; and I was in- 

 formed of one that actually carried a man to some distance. When 

 a dog gets up close to a large kangaroo, it will often sit upon its 

 tail and haunches, and fight the dog, turning adroitly round and 

 round (so as always to face him), and pushing him off with the 

 fore paws; or it will seize and hug him like a-bear, ripping him 

 up with the long sharp claw on its powerful hind leg. They are 

 constantly indeed cutting,-and often killing, dogs with this terrible 

 weapon, which will tear out the bowels at a single kick ; and a 

 largo kangaroo is, on this account, very dangerous even for a man 



