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followed the leading- one en masse, unless divided by the dogs : it is true there is uo regular leader, hut when 
one is disturbed, the whole herd immediately take alarm, and one bounding off is the signal for the whole 
to follow : when running in this way, the does soon take the lead, while the males from their greater weight 
are unable to keep up with them, and often bring up the rear a long distance behind, but they all follow 
in the same track as the leading does, and when the latter stop the entire herd stop also ; this habit I have 
noticed so frequently, that I have always considered the Kangaroo as a gregarious animal. Occasionally 
an old and very large male will take possession of a valley, and there remain for years without moving a 
mile from the spot, leading in fact a perfectly misanthropic life ; such instances, however, are not very 
common ; still, two or three spots are known to me which have been thus tenanted for years, many of the 
settlers and aborigines, now young men, remembering these particular animals from their childhood. Some 
of the most experienced Kangaroo-hunters have endeavoured to capture them, but have invariably failed, at 
the cost of much injury to their dogs : with the exception of cases like these, it is rare to meet with a 
single Kangaroo.” 
Mr. Gunn states that in Van Diemen’s Land the Kangaroos “ lodge during the heat of the day amongst 
high ferns, such as Pteris escnlenta, high-grass, and in underwood, commonly called scrub, that is, dense 
patches of Melaleuca, Leptospermum, See. on the margins of streams ; and although almost all the forest trees 
(Eucalypti) are hollow at the butt, and innumerable dead and hollow trees cover the ground, I have never 
known them used as sleeping-places : the space under a dead tree is much more likely to be resorted to 
for this purpose than the hollow of a living one.” 
The senses of smelling and hearing are so exquisite in this animal that it is extremely difficult of approach 
without detection, and to effect this it is always necessary to advance against the wind. It browses upon 
various kinds of grasses, herbs and low shrubs, a kind of food which renders its flesh well-tasted and 
nutritive. The early dawn and evening are the periods at which it feeds, and at which it is most certain to 
be met with. 
Although hunted and frequently killed by the Dingo, or native dog, its most formidable antagonist has 
hitherto been the Aborigine, who employs several modes of obtaining it ; sometimes stealing upon it with 
the utmost caution under covert of the trees and bushes, until it is within the range of his spear, which is 
generally thrown with unerring aim ; at other times, having discovered their retreat, the natives unite in a 
party, and, forming a large circle, gradually close in upon them with shouts and yells, by which the animals 
are so terrified and confused, that they easily become victims to the bommerengs, clubs and spears which 
are directed against them from all sides. 
Still, however formidable an enemy the Aborigine may have been, the Great Grey Kangaroo finds, at the 
present time, a far greater one in the white man, whose superior knowledge enables him to employ, for its 
destruction, much more efficient weapons and assailants than those of the more simple son of nature. 
Independently of the gun, he brings to his aid dogs of superior breed, and of so savage a nature, that the 
timid Kangaroo has but little chance when opposed to them. These dogs, which run entirely by sight, 
partake of the nature of the greyhound and deerhound, and from their great strength and fleetness are so 
well adapted for the duties to which they are trained, that its escape, when this occurs, is owing to peculiar 
and favourable circumstances, as, for example, the oppressive heat of the day, or the nature of the ground ; 
the former incapacitating the dogs for a severe chase, and the hard ridges which the Kangaroo invariably 
endeavours to gain giving him a great advantage over his pursuers. On such grounds the females in 
particular will frequently outstrip the fleetest greyhound, while, on the contrary, heavy old males, on soft 
ground, are easily overtaken. Many of these fine Kangaroo-dogs are kept at the stock-stations of the inte- 
rior for the sole purpose of running the Kangaroo and the Emu, the latter being killed solely for the supply 
of oil which it yields, and the former for mere sport, or for food for the dogs. Although I have killed the 
largest males with a single dog, it is not generally advisable to attempt this, as they possess great power, 
and frequently rip up the dogs, and sometimes even cut them to the heart with a single stroke of the hind 
leg. Three or four dogs are more generally laid on, one of superior fleetness to “ pull ” the Kangaroo, 
while the others rush in upon and kill it. It sometimes adopts a singular mode of defending itself by 
clasping its short powerful fore-limbs around its antagonist, leaping away with it to the nearest water-hole, 
and there keeping it beneath the surface until drowned : with dogs the old males will do this whenever 
they have an opportunity, and it is said that they will also attempt to do the same with man. In Van 
Diemen’s Land the Macropus major forms an object of chase, and like the Deer and Fox in England, is 
hunted with hounds ; and twice a week, during the season, the Nimrods of this distant land may be seen, 
mounted on their fleet steeds, crossing the ferry of the Derwent, at Hobart Town, on their way to the 
hunting-ground, where they seldom meet without “ finding.” The following particulars of the “ hunt ” 
have been obligingly forwarded to me by the Honourable Henry Elliot, late aide-de-camp to His Excellency 
Sir John Franklin, and one of its chief patrons. 
“I have much pleasure in telling you all I know of the Kangaroo-hunting in Van Diemens Land. The 
hounds are kept by Mr. Gregson, and have been bred by him from foxhounds imported from England ; 
and though not so fast as most hounds here now are, they are quite as fast as it is possible to ride to in 
that country. 
“ The ‘ Boomer ’ is the only Kangaroo which shows good sport, for the strongest ‘ Brush Kangaroo 
cannot live above twenty minutes before the hounds ; but as the two kinds are always found in perfectly 
different situations, we never were at a loss to find a Boomer, and I must say that they seldom failed to 
show us good sport. We generally ‘ found ’ in a high cover of young wattles ; but sometimes we ‘ found 
