THE KANGURU. 



to which Mr. Pennant has accordingly referred it, in his excellent Hi Story of 

 Quadrupeds, and we are unwilling to differ in opinion from fo good a judge. 



The individuals, which have hitherto come within our obfervation, varj 

 considerably in Size; the larger! Specimen meafured eight feet five inches from 

 the tip of the nofe to the end of the tail, and weighed one hundred and fifty 

 pounds ; and it is generally believed they attain to a much larger fize. 



The Kanguru refembles the Jerboa in its mode of Handing and running, 

 or rather jumping, but in no other particular. Its general colour is a 

 greyifh brown, much like the Wild Rabbit of Great Britain. 



Its Shape appears to be greatly difproportioned, being very fmall about 

 the head and moulders, and gradually increasing in bulk to the bottom of 

 the belly and hips, where it is larger!. Its legs likewife differ much in their 

 proportionate length, the hinder ones being three feet feven inches long, 

 whereas the fore legs meafure but nineteen inches. This extraordinary 

 difproportion in the length of the legs obliges the animal to walk erecl: on 

 its hind legs, and it performs its progreffive motions by Springs or leaps, like 

 fome fmall birds, but with Such furprifing ltrength and activity, that it will 

 traverfe twenty feet of ground at one bound, and jump over obstacles nine 

 feet high, with the greater! facility ; and thefe bounds are repeated fo 

 rapidly, that the fwifteft Greyhound finds it a difficult talk to overtake it; 

 and if by chance caught by the Dog, it Struggles with fo much ltrength, 

 that it foon efcapes from its adverfary, and a6ts the fame part over again. 

 In thefe Struggles, it ufes the tail as a weapon of defence, and Strikes fo hard 

 with it, as to make the Dog Shy of a fecond engagement. The ufual method, 

 therefore, of obtaining this animal, is to lie in wait with a gun, and moot it. 

 The hinder legs are very Strong, and, when fitting, the Kanguru refts on the 

 whole of their length, and ufes the tail as an additional leg, to balance 

 and fupport the body, the rump being elevated feveral inches from the 

 ground ; the under part of thefe legs is callous, and wholly di veiled of hair : 

 the toes on thefe feet appear to be only three in number, although there are 

 really four ; the inner one is of a peculiar Structure, appearing at firlt light 

 to be Single, though, on more accurate inflection, it is found to be actually 



