114 THE KANGAROO. 
length, and the difference in size is so great that the two sexes might be 
well taken for different species. 
The weight of a full-grown male, or “ Boomer,” as it is more familiarly 
called,is very considerable, one hundred and sixty pounds having often 
been attained, and even greater weight being on record. The colour of the 
animal is brown, mingled with grey, the grey predominating on the under 
portions of the body and the under-faces of the limbs. The fore-feet are 
black, as is also the tip of the tail. 
As the Kangaroo is a valuable animal, not only for the sake of its skin, 
but on account of its flesh, which is in some estimation among the human 
inhabitants of the same land, it is eagerly sought after by hunters, both 
white and black, and affords good sport to both on account of its speed, its 
vigour, and its wariness. The native hunter, who trusts chiefly to his own 
cunning and address for stealing unobserved upon the animal and lodging 
a spear in its body before 
it is able to elude its subtle 
enemy, finds the Kangaroo 
an animal which will test 
all his powers before he can 
attain his object, and lay 
the Kangaroo dead upon 
he ground. 
The male Kangaroo, or 
“ Boomer,” is a dangerous 
antagunist to man and dog, 
and unless destroyed by 
missile weapons will often 
prove more than a match 
for the combined efforts of 
man and beast. 
When the animal finds 
that it is overpowered in 
endeavour by the swift and 
powerful Kangaroo dogs, 
which are bred for the ex- 
press purpose of chasing 
this one kind of prey, it 
turns suddenly to bay, and 
THE KANGAROO.--(Macropus major.) placing its back against a 
tree-trunk, so that it cannot 
be attacked from behind, patiently awaits the onset of its adversaries. Should 
an unwary dog approach within too close a distance of the Kangaroo, the 
animal launches so terrible a blow with its hinder feet, that the long and 
pointed claw, with which the hinder foot is armed, cuts like a knife, and has 
often laid open the entire body of the dog with a single blow. The claw 
which is thus used is so long, hard, and sharp, that it is sometimes used as a 
head to a spear. : ’ 
When running, the creature has a curious habit of looking back every 
now and then, and has sometimes unconsciously committed suicide by leap- 
ing against one of the tree-stumps which are so plentifully found in the 
districts inhabited by the Kangaroo. 5 
The doe Kangaroo displays very little of these running or fighting capa- 
bilities, and has been known, when chased for a very short distance, to lie 
down and die of fear. Sometimes, when pursued, she contrives to elude the 
dogs by rushing into some brushwood, and then making a very powerful leap 
