THE KOALA. 113 
its captivity. But it is liable, as are many gevtle animals, to sudden and 
unexpected gusts of passion, and when it is excited by rage it puts on a very 
fierce look, and utters sharp and shrill yells in a very threatening manner. 
Its usual voice is a peculiar soft bark. 
This animal is rather prettily coloured, the body being furnished with fur 
of afine grey colour, warmed with a slight reddish tinge in the adult animal, 
and fading to a whitish grey in the young. The claws are considerably 
curved, and black ; and the ears are tufted with long white hairs. In size it 
equals a small bull-terrier dog, being, when adult, rather more than two feet 
in length, and about ten inches in height, when standing. The circumference 
of the body is about eighteen inches, including the fur. 
KOALA, OR AUSTRALIAN BEAR.—(L%ascolarctos cinereus.) 
On account of the tree-climbing habits of the Koala, it is sometimes called 
the Australian Monkey as well as the Australian Bear. 
THE animals which come next under consideration are truly worthy of the 
title of Macropidz, or long-footed, as their hinder feet are most remarkable 
for their comparative length, and in almost every instance are many times 
longer than the fore-feet. This structure adapts them admirably for leaping, 
an exercise in which the Kangaroos, as these creatures are familiarly termed, 
‘are pre-eminently excellent. 
Among the largest of the Macropide is the celebrated KANGAROO, an 
animal which ‘is found spread tolerably widely over its native land. 
This species has also been called by the name of gigamteus, on account 
of its very great size, which, however, is sometimes exceeded by the Woolly 
Kangaroo. The average dimensions of an adult male are generally as fol- 
lows :—The total lenzth of the animal is about seven feet six inches, count- 
ing from the nose to the tip of the tail; the head and body exceed four 
feet, and the tail is rather more than three feet in length ; the circumference 
of the tail at its base is about a foot. When it sits erect after its curious 
tripedal fashion, supported by its hind-quarters and tail, its height is rather 
more than fifty inches ; but when it wishes to survey the country, and stands 
erect upon its toes, it surpasses in height many a well-grown man. The 
female is very much smaller than her mate, being under six feet in total 
T 
