22 LITTLE FOLKS 
see the world. After that the little fellow puts his head out now 
and then, and sometimes takes a nibble at the grass while its 
mother is eating. At last it comes out and hops about a little, but 
for a long time, till it is able to take care of itself, it goes back into 
its cozy, warm nursery very often. And if the mother suspects 
any danger — and she's very shy, I can tell you — she just takes the 
little one in the bag, and away they go. 
Look at the picture and see what long legs this careful mamma 
has, and what comical little fore legs. That is because she is made 
for hopping. Such hops — or rather leaps — you never saw ; some- 
times thirty feet at a jump. Besides the immense hind legs, she 
has a very large and strong tail that is as good as another leg to help 
to jump. She can get over the ground faster than a horse. 
Her fore legs are not of much use to her when she's in a 
hurry, but she can walk if she likes, and a droll walk it is. She 
puts her fore feet on the ground, and rests on them and the stiff 
tail, while she jerks forward her long hind legs. So she gets on, 
after a fashion. 
This curious animal has four toes on her hind feet, and on 
one of them she has a fearful nail, which she knows how to use 
when hunters' dogs come too near. She has also another weapon 
for these impertinent dogs, and that is her tail. This useful mem- 
ber not only serves as a fifth leg, but as a club. When dogs get 
near enough she gives them dreadful blows with it. 
The one I'm telling about is the Giant Kangaroo, and is about 
four feet high when sitting up. There are about fifty species 
known, of all sizes down to one not so big as a rat. In the Malay 
Islands the smaller kinds are often caught and tamed. They are 
extremely graceful and pretty pets. 
Kangaroos are sociable fellows ; sometimes a hunter will come 
upon a dozen of them sitting up on their hind legs, and apparently 
holding council together, probably discussing the weather and the 
state of the grass. 
Unfortunately for their own comfort, they are very good 
to eat, and their white teeth are in great demand among the dark- 
skinned natives for beads, so they are frequently hunted, and have 
need to put the baby in the bag, and jump their best. Sometimes 
they are caught — in Australia — in nets. They are driven on to 
them, and while entangled are killed with clubs. 
They have another way of dealing with hunting dogs besides 
