164 
ORDERS OF MAMMALS— POUCHED ANIMALS 
out, to take exercise, but jumps back again at 
the first alarm. In an animal which travels as 
far each day as the kangaroo, a pouch for the 
conveyance of the young is a great convenience. 
THE KANGAROO FAMILY. 
Macropodidae. 
In Australia, the land of queer things, nearly 
all the land mammals are marsupials. The 
Order includes the kangaroos, large and small, 
wombat, Tasmanian wolf, Tasmanian devil, 
koala, and many others. All kangaroos come 
either from Australia, Tasmania, or New 
Guinea, but one group of small wallabies extends 
its range to New Britain and the Aru Islands. 
The great majority of these creatures dwell on 
the ground in the open plains, or in the “bush” 
of Australia. In northern Queensland and New 
Guinea are four species of Tree Kangaroos, 
which actually climb trees, and inhabit them. 
The largest species is the great Gray Kan- 
garoo , 1 also called “Old man” and “Boomer," 
which stands over 4 feet high, weighs nearly 
200 pounds, and when frightened can leap twenty 
feet or more. The smallest species are the Rat 
Kangaroos, some of which are but 14 inches high. 
Despite their nocturnal habits specimens are fre- 
quently seen in captivity. One of the handsom- 
est of all the species is the Red 
Kangaroo , 2 a creature about 4 
feet high, frequently seen in cap- 
tivity, and quickly recognized 
by its brick-red color, and fine, 
silky hair. Several small species 
of Kangaroos are called YVaT- 
labies, and the species figured 
herewith is a good representative 
of this whole Family. 
The Kangaroo is a strange 
variation in form from the ordi- 
nary terrestrial mammal. Its 
extremely long, strong hind legs, 
and massive tail, also of great 
length, form a wonderful jump- 
ing machine. The tail not only 
assists the animal in leaping, 
but it also serves as a balancing 
pole, and keeps its owner from 
losing his proper position when 
in mid-air. It is reasonably 
certain that a Kangaroo without 
a tail would frequently overbal- 
ance when leaping, and turn 
somersaults. Kangaroos were 
once very abundant in Austra- 
lia, but the general settlement 
of that country, and the syste- 
matic killing of the animals for 
their skins, which are used as 
leather for shoes, has so greatly 
reduced the number that now 
one must go far inland in order to find them 
wild. 
Most pouched mammals are strictly herbivor- 
ous, but some, like the opossum and Tasmanian 
wolf, are true flesh-eaters. 
’ Mac-ro'pus gi-gan'te-us. 
2 Macropus ru'fus. 
E. F. Keller, Photo., National Zoological Park. 
brush-tailed rock wallaby ( Petrogale peuicillata) . 
Length, head and body, 28 inches ; tail, 24. 
