

6 AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGY, 
are put into an enclosure, will fight till one is killed. These tree- 
kangaroos associate in families, some numbering from three to five 
females and one male. The young males, and also the very old 
ones, are generally found by themselves, or two or three of them 
together without any females. ‘The females breed twice a year, and 
have only one young one at a birth. 
Food.—The leaves of several species of eucalyptus and white 
cedar. In the scrub it has a partiality for the bird’s-nest fern, the 
moustera, and a small climber like the pepper plant. It eats almost 
any of the wild fruits so plentiful in its habitat, When in captivity 
it soon becomes quiet, and takes readily to eating bread, sweet 
potatoes, apples, oranges, mangroves, and yans. On the voyage 
from Vooktown the captives were fed upon milk and unripe bananas, 
and, with two exceptions, did well. In its native state it is believed 
this species drinks little water. The vegetation at the altitude of 
its favourite resort is almost invariably enveloped in moisture all 
night—just at the time when these animals are out feeding on it—so 
that they must get nearly all the water they require with their 
food. They feed mostly in the trees and among rocks. 
How captured.—The time for hunting is early in the morning, 
while the scent is fresh upon the ground, The blacks, who are very 
fond of its flesh, use a dingo or mongrel (the former being better), 
which scents the tracks of the animal to the foot of the tree it has 
climbed to ‘‘camp” for the day. If the tree is low it is tolerably 
easy to find the animal; but it often happens that it has passed 
from one tree to another before finding a suitable ‘‘camp.” In this 
case it is necessary for a black to ascend a high tree near that the 
animal has ascended, so as to look down upon the surrounding trees, 
as the kangaroo sits right out in the sun, and is more easily seen from 
above than from below. If one approaches quietly it is quite easy 
to catch the animal by the tail and slip it into a bag while up the 
tree; but the least noise rouses it, and it is surprising how quickly 
it can travel, jumping tremendous leaps from one tree to another, 
or dropping from a high tree to the ground. When it is hunted 
down it is captured by the blacks waiting below, one of whom, as 
soon as it reaches the ground, holds its para down with a forked 
stick, while another passes an open bag under and over its hind 
quarters and slips it over its head. The blacks ure afraid of seizing 
a full-grown one, as they say it shows fight. A collector, who was 
with some blacks, caught one with a lasso—a method which they 
adopt, except when the animal is out of reach. 
Where found.—The habitat of this species is Northern Queens- 
land, in the vicinity of the Bloomfield and Daintree rivers, south of 
Cooktown. These kangaroos are most plentiful among rocky hills, 
where the scrub is thick and stunted. 




