THE ZOOLOGIST 



No. 704.— February, 1900. 



"HOW DOES THE NEW-BORN KANGAROO GET 

 INTO THE MOTHERS POUCH?" 



By D. le Soue'f, C.M.Z.S., &c. ; Asst. Dir. Zoological 

 Gardens, Melbourne. 



Plate I. 



Having seen an article under the above heading in a recent 

 number of 'The Zoologist' (1899, p. 368), in which it was 

 stated that there is evidently much confusion on this interesting 

 question, I thought it would be a help to state what has been 

 observed in a wild specimen of the Grey Kangaroo (Macropus 

 giganteus). When the young one is ready to be born, the mother 

 sits down on the ground, resting on the upper portion of the base 

 of her tail, and with that appendage resting level on the ground 

 in front of her (Plate I., fig, 1, upper figure) ; she then holds her 

 pouch open with her two fore-paws, and, as the helpless mite is 

 born, it rests on the soft fur of the under side of the tail. The 

 mother immediately transfers it to her pouch with her lips only, 

 and evidently with great care attaches it to the nipple. The mouth 

 of the young one is apparently only a round hole, and it as yet 

 has no power of suction ; but the nipple is of a peculiar shape, 

 with the point hard, and the mother is thereby enabled to insert 

 it into the mouth of the young one. She then holds it in position 

 while she forces the milk into the nipple, which thereby swells 

 out and holds the young one on ; but if, after being once firmly 



Zool. 4th ser. vol. IV., February, 1900. e 



