THE RED KANGAROO 379 



Kangaroos are hunted in Australia not only for sport, but on 

 account of the harm they do to the not too abundant pasturage, as 

 their peculiar teeth, of which the lower incisors project forward and 

 can be slightly separated and brought together, having besides sharp 

 inner edges, fairly cut the grass out by the roots. 



The Hound used in hunting them is very similar to a Greyhound, 

 but rather more powerful, and, though derived from crosses in the 

 first place, is now a distinct breed. They used to be imported into 

 India in my time, and no doubt are so still, as they are excellent 

 Dogs for swift game. 



The present species of Kangaroo is, however, not so much hunted 

 as the commoner Great Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), as it inhabits 

 chiefly the eastern and southern hilly districts, whereas the other is 

 found almost all over Australia; it has, like all these large Kangaroos, 

 plenty of courage, and the male specimen mentioned in Gould's 

 magnificent work on the Mammals of Australia as being procured 

 by him for the British Museum was not captured, he says, without 

 making a fierce and desperate resistance. This beast weighed two 

 hundred pounds, and his meat supported Gould and his party, who 

 were making a forced march, for four days. The best part of a 

 Kangaroo, it may be mentioned, is the thick powerful tail, which is 

 much esteemed for making soup. 



Though not nearly so common in captivity as the Great Kangaroo* 

 the Red species is not rare in collections, and, like Kangaroos generally,, 

 thrives well even in close confinement, and breeds freely. 



The typical Kangaroos are all Australian, with the exception of a 

 few in New Guinea, New Britain, and the Aru Islands, one of which 

 (Macroptts drum), was the first Kangaroo to be brought to the notice 

 of science. They vary a good deal in size, from large species like. the 

 Red, the Common, and the Wallaroo {Macropus robustus), through 

 the smaller species called Wallabies, to some not bigger than Hares. 

 Their habits also present some differences in detail, some being beasts, 

 of the plains, while others never leave the hills, where they hop about 

 from rock to rock. 



The Rock Wallabies have the tail less thick at the base than th& 

 more typical kinds. 



