
TREE-KANGAROO, 57 
The next morning early he persuaded the natives to get ready 
for the chase, but they did not want him to go with them. as the 
og was afraid of the white man. At sunset Nilgora and his com- 
Panions returned from the hunt, and, to the great joy of the 
naturalist, they brought him another boongary. This was some- 
What smaller than the one he had lost. On its back it had distinct 
marks of the dingo’s teeth. A third specimen was brought the 
Next day, but still smaller than the others. The naturalist, having 
Carefully preserved the skin, he and his sable companions roasted 
the flesh on the coals for supper. It had a fine gamey flavour, and 
did not taste at all like kangaroo meat. 
Description. —The tree-kangaroo is a better proportioned animal 
than the common kangaroo. Its body is about two feet long, and 
Its tail two feet four inches. The arms and legs are nearly equal in 
length, the former being about eight inches, and the latter ten 
MIches. The head is small, being something like that of the 
American squirrel; it is only four inches long. he ears are insig- 
Nificant, and covered with black fur on the exterior and with foxy 
Coloured fur inside. ‘The nose, mouth, and feet are black, and there 
Is a cream-coloured band about three-quarters of an inch wide across 
the forehead. The upper parts of the body are grey ; on the back 
the hairs are blackish, with pale bases and points, giving these 
Parts a grizzly hue. On the vertex of the back the hairs are almost 
Uniformly black, extending as‘a broad stripe upwards and covering 
the ears, as stated above, and the crown of the head. The lower 
back is clearer yellowish-grey, the blackish hairs being somewhat 
Scarcer, but forming an indistinct dark patch at the root of the 
tail. The lower parts are pale yellowish, but deeper on the flanks ; 
the throat is whitish. The limbs are covered on the upper surface 
like the back; the metacarpus and the metatarsus are rusty red, 
Interspersed with numerous black hairs. The tail is pale yellowish 
ey above, with numerous black hairs, its lower surface being 
black or blackish. The tip in some specimens is whitish. No 
Portion of the tail is bare, as in the case of the kangarvo, but it is 
Covered with fur having a brush four inches long at the extremity. 
its discoverer says that it is the most beautiful animal he has seen 
mm Australia, 
Where found.—In Northern Queensland. It is a rare animal in 
Australia. So far as is known, its Australian habitat is consider- 
ably circumscribed. It is peculiar to the Herberton district. 
erbert Vale, the basis of the expeditions, is now a deserted cattle- 
Station adjoining the Herbert River, about 15 miles from the coast 
na straight line, the nearest town being Cardwell on Rockingham 
ay. The range nearest the Herbert River is granitic, its height 
being from 2000 to 3000 feet. It is covered with dense scrubs. In 
hese extensive mountainous scrubs that commence near Herbert 
ale, the tree-kangaroo was found. It isnot found in the range 
South of Herbert River, but js met with to the west and north-west 
Of Cardwell, 
