against the waves any farther, and was obliged to
turn back; when, being quite exhausted, he was
soon killed. The distance he ran, taking the different bends of the line, was not less than eighteen
miles.” When he took to the water he was a
long distance before the hounds, but still quite
fresh. The hind-quarters weighed seventy pounds.
“We did not measure the distance of the hop of
this Kangaroo, but on another occasion, in which
the boomer had taken along the beach, and left
his prints in the sand, the length of each jump was
found to be fifteen feet, and as regular as if they
had been stepped by a sergeant. When a boomer
is pressed, he is very apt to take to the water, and
then it requires several good dogs to kill him; for
he stands waiting for them, and as they swim up
to the attack, he takes hold of them with his forefeet, and holds them under water. ‘The buck is
very bold, and will generally make a stout resistance; for, if he cannot get to the water, he will
place his back against a tree, so that he cannot be
attacked from behind; and then the best dog will
find him a formidable antagonist. The doe, on
the contrary, is a very timid creature ; and I have
even seen one die of fear.”
Perhaps it is scarcely correct to speak of the Great Kangaroo as being gregarious. From the circumstance of their favourite food being found in particular spots, such as pieces of land recently burnt over, they are often seen assembled together; yet they never associate in flocks, properly so called, all moving together. ‘The sort of country which they prefer consists of low grassy hills or plains skirted by thin open forests of brushwood, or patches of high ferns, tall grass, or under-
