THE KANGURU. 



divided down the middle, which divifton extends through the ball of the toe 

 belonging to it, the whole appearing as if the feparation was made by a very 

 lharp inftrument. The middle toe greatly exceeds the others in length, is 

 by much the ftrongeft, and bears a great refemblance to that of an Oftrich. 

 The fore legs are furnilhed with five toes and as many claws, but their 

 fhortnefs prevents their being applied to the purpofe of walking, and the 

 animal only ufes them, as hands, to convey its food to the mouth, and to 

 fcratch and dig holes in the earth. The tail is near three feet in length, it is 

 very thick at the rump, and tapers gradually towards the end. When the 

 animal is at reft, the tail appears to lie at eafe behind it ; but, when in 

 motion, it is ufually carried quite erect. The countenance of this animal is 

 mild and pleating ; the ftiape of the head bears fome refemblance to that of 

 a Fawn ; the ears are large, and generally itand erect, 



The ingenious Mr. Home, who has obliged the world with fome very 

 curious and interefting anatomical obfervations on the mode of generation of 

 the Kanguru, obferves(A), " that it differs in the economy of its young from 

 all other quadrupeds, except thofe of the genus Opoifum, to which, in this 

 particular, it feems to be related ; the foetus of this tribe neither deriving its 

 fupport from a connection with the uterus of the mother, like other 

 quadrupeds, nor receiving it in the manner in which it is conveyed to the 

 young of fuch animals as are hatched from the egg, but having a mode of 

 fupport peculiar to itfelf and its congenera. It therefore appears to form a 

 link in the chain of gradation from the one to the other." 



The female Kanguru has two mammae, and each is furnilhed with two 

 nipples: they are not placed upon the abdominal mufcles, as in moft 

 quadrupeds, but are fituated between two moveable bones connected with 

 the os pubis, peculiar to this tribe of animals. The mammae are covered by 

 the lining of the pouch, or falfe belly, and the nipples project into that 

 cavity. The fkin of this covering is thinly fcattered over its furface with 

 Ihort hair, except at the root of the nipples, where there are tufts of fome 

 length, one at the bafts of each. It is from thefe nipples that the young 



(a) Pliilofophical Tranfa&ions for the Year 1 795. Part i. p. 221. 



