THE KANGAROO. 
C. C. M. 
THE Kangaroos are regarded as 
among the most remarkable of 
mammals. Everything about 
them is extraordinary; their 
movements and their attitudes when at 
rest, the way they seek their food, 
their reproduction, their development, 
and their mental qualities. Twenty 
and thirty years ago, it is said, the vis- 
itor to Australia could see more Kan- 
garoos to the square mile than there 
are jack rabbits to-day, and it was lit- 
erally impossible to avoid the countless 
flocks that swarmed over the whole 
island. Walsh says that, with a good 
rifle, he could take a position on a rock 
and shoot all day long, until tired of 
the monotony of the slaughter, or un- 
til some "old man" kangaroo became 
desperate at his killing and decided to 
turn the table upon him. In those 
days men were paid liberally by the 
sheepowners to kill off the kangaroos, 
and it is stated that one hunter would 
kill several hundred a day, and one 
man is known to have cleared $4,500, 
free of living expenses, in a single year. 
The visitor to Australia to-day discov- 
ers a decided change in many ways, but 
not more so than in the comparative 
scarcity of this animal. He may re- 
side on the island for a month or two 
and not see one kangaroo. - There are 
still large numbers of them, but they 
must be hunted up and their favorite 
feeding-places located by guides. The 
sheepherders caused the creatures to 
be destroyed in such numbers before 
they became of any commercial value 
that they are now rarely found outside 
of the "bush." About three hundred 
miles back from the coast thousands 
can still be found. The country 
abounds in straggling bushes, with very 
few tall trees or woods to obstruct 
travel; but the bushes, while in the 
open country, are tall enough to make 
good hiding-places for the marsupials. 
They feed on the grass, roots, and 
leaves, and when startled by a hunter, 
leap over the bushes as easily as a rab- 
bit jumps over the tufts of grass. 
The hind legs of the kangaroo are 
powerful weapons. One long claw, 
hard as bone or steel, and sharp as a 
knife at the point, gives the kangaroo 
an implement, says a writer in the Sci- 
entific American, that can kill a man or 
beast with one blow. The front paws 
are not so strong, but an old fellow has 
strength enough in them to seize a dog 
and hold him under the water until 
dead. On land they will seize an en- 
emy and hold him until the hind claws 
can cut him nearly in two. They are 
also good boxers, and when the na- 
tives attempt to kill them with clubs 
they dodge the implements with all the 
skill of a professional pugilist, and un- 
less the man is an expert he may get 
the worst of the encounter. Quite a 
number of hunters have been severely 
injured, and some killed, by attempting 
to corner a wounded kangaroo when 
enraged by a bullet wound. The fleet- 
est horse cannot keep pace with any 
of the larger kangaroos, but with a 
little tact the hunters are enabled to 
capture them whenever they are sighted. 
When the creatures are once started on 
a run, they will not swerve from their 
course, but continue straight onward, 
leaping over bushfes, rocks, and all or- 
dinary obstacles. The hunters gener- 
ally station themselves in the line that 
the animals are most likely to pursue, 
and then wait until the dogs or the rest 
of the party start them up. 
The ordinary gait of the kangaroo, 
which it assumes principally when 
grazing, is a heavy, awkward hobble. 
It supports its forefeet on the ground 
and then pushes the hinder legs on be- 
tween them. While doing so it must 
also support itself on its tail, as else it 
could not lift its long hinder legs high 
enough to render such movements pos- 
sible. But it remains in this position 
no longer than is absolutely necessary. 
Whenever it has plucked some favorite 
plant, it assumes the erect position to 
consume it. In their sleep the smaller 
species adopt a position similar to 
that of a hare in its form. Closely 
crouched to the ground, they squat 
down on all fours, the tail being 
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