THE KANGURU. 



foetus receives its nouriihment, from the time of its exclulion from the 

 uterus, which happens at fo early a period, that, at that time, the little 

 animal does not exceed an inch in length, and weighs but twenty-one grains. 

 At this early period of the growth of the foetus, its mouth is merely a round 

 hole, juft large enough to receive the point of the nipple ; this hole gradually 

 enlarges as the animal advances in fize, till it is capable of receiving the 

 whole of the nipple into its mouth, where it lies in a groove, formed in the 

 middle of the tongue, well adapted for that purpofe. Mr. Home thinks it 

 probable, that the mouth of the foetus, in this very early Hate, is attached to 

 the nipple by means of the vifcid gelatinous fubffance, which is always 

 found in the uterus. It is obfervable that, in this young Hate, the fore 

 paws, when compared with the reft of the body, are large and ffxong, and 

 the little claws extremely diflincl, to facilitate the motion of the little animal 

 during its refidence in the large pouch, while the hind legs, which are 

 afterwards to become very large, were both fhorter and fmaller than the 

 others. The young ones continue to reflde in this bag, or pouch, till they 

 have attained their full maturity, only quitting it occasionally for exercife or 

 amufement ; and, even after they have quitted it, they have been obferved 

 to run into the pouch, for fhelter, on the lean: appearance of danger ; on 

 which occalion, the tender mother contracts the part with fo much ftrength, 

 that it cannot be forced open without the greatefl difficulty. 



The Kanguru is an inhabitant of New- Holland, and has not hitherto 

 been found in any other place. Its nefh is eaten by the natives and 

 colonifts, and accounted excellent food. 



The animals, from which the annexed plate was drawn, are now living 

 in the Royal Garden at Kew, where they breed, and appear quite naturalifed. 

 They produce one young at a birth, and feed chiefly on grafs. 



Lieutenant Shortland defcribes them as feeding in herds, confining of 

 thirty or forty ; and fays, that one is always on the watch, at a diflance 

 from the reft. 



