MARSUPIALS AND CETACEANS. 327 
most imminent danger. He informed me that, when a female 
kangaroo has been hard pressed by dogs, he has seen her, 
while she has been making her bounds, put her fore-paws into 
her pouch, take a young one from it, and then thrown it as far 
on one side as she possibly could out of the way of the dogs. 
But for this manoeuvre her own life and that of her young one 
would have been sacrificed. By getting rid of the latter she 
has frequently effected her escape, and probably returned after- 
wards to seek for her offspring. 
Cetaceans . 
The following is quoted from Thompson ~ 
In 1811, says Mr. Scoresby, one of my harpooners struck a 
sucker, with the hope of leading to the capture of the mother. 
Presently she arose close to the Hast boat/ and seizing the 
young one, dragged about 600 feet of line out of the boat with 
remarkable force and velocity. Again she rose to the surface, 
darted furiously to and fro, frequently stopped short or suddenly 
changed her direction, and gave every possible intimation of 
extreme agony. For a length of time she continued thus to act, 
though pursued closely by the boats ; and, inspired with courage 
and resolution by her concern for her young, seemed regardless 
of the dangers which surrounded her. At length one of the 
boats approached so near that a harpoon was hove at her ; it 
hit, but did not attach itself. A second harpoon was struck, 
but this also failed to penetrate ; but a third was more successful, 
and held. Still she did not attempt to escape, but allowed 
other boats to approach ; so that in a few minutes three more 
harpoons were fastened, and in the course of an hour afterwards 
she was killed. 1 
Mr. Saville Kent communicates an article to ‘Nature’ 
(vol. viii. ? p. 229) on 6 Intellect of Porpoises.’ He says : — 
The keeper in charge of these interesting animals is now in 
the habit of summoning them to their meals by the call of a 
whistle ; his approaching footsteps, even, cause great excitement 
in their movements. . . . The curiosity attributed to these 
creatures, as illustrated by the experiences of Mr. Matthew 
Williams, receives ample confirmation from their habits and 
confinement. A new arrival is at once subjected to the most 
importunate attention, and, advancing from familiarity to com 
1 Passions of Animals, p. 154. 
