Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1895-02-16
A CHAT ABOUT THE KANGAROO.

Everyone knows that Australia Is the
largest island on the globe, being nearly
as large as the United States. hut per.
haps everyone Is not acquainted with the
many peculiadties Of the country, as
regards natural products, both animal
and vegetable.
In speaking Of the animals OF those
qntipodal regions, as a matter Of course,
that long.dis anec jumper the kangaroo,
comes to mind directly. This animal Is
found, believe, In no other country but
Australia. a few oil them are TO be
feen around the cities. where they are
Kept in enclosures as pc s., but as a rule
lhey do not compare with their unnamed
brothers OF the bush. The average
height OF the kangaroo is about five
feet, though some approach six ieat.
The head is sma and somewhat fC-
6Cmblos that OF goGdsz-d iawu. From
the head downwards The body gradually
becomes heavier In is construction.
The color OF the under pare Is gray
approaching white IN some places, which
gradually grows darker on the sides and
eliminates IN a very dark gray on the
back.
Since The kangaroo does not make use
Of It's iorclegs TO any extent, they arc
small aud lightly constructed. Bus The
hind legs make up i1r all deficiencies OF
the fore, Tor they arc very strong and
long. That wonderful appeudBgc, the
tail tall the world % the kangaroo aud
such "a powerful auxiliary Boo his m'grl.
uOns-is quite a lengthy, weight affair,
as indeed % need be-; Tor were II not .Yr
b, the locumJuuu OF the kangaroo would
De a prOblcm--ono na could not posi-.
bly, solve. the tail enables the animal
10 utilize 20 best advantage ~ power to
spring; d balances him in the air and
supports hir aighiing, and were b, not
Tor the tail. The graceful. jumper would
exist no more as such. SO well If tui.
known 10 the "laLs and lassc5" OF the
bush" that many loyc.sick gAa,us
toothachc victims aud others who feel
miserable rom time 20 TIM. frequently
compare their depth OF misery tI tnlt OF
q kangaroo without any illl. Aud while
the slmilc may be coarse, aud SAVIOR o
rDsucitI, Il D., 10 view OF what has been
said OF the importance Of the klugaroO's
TAI. wonderfully expressive,
Thirty or forty years ago the kangaroo
was i0und in great numbers near the
large cities, which either speaks well Tor
the moderation OF the blacks who killed
no more than they could use. or badly
for the Effectiveness OF their ar famed
boomerang. In those early days there
were no kangaroo hides Ia demand, Tor
strange as itmty appear, the blacks OF
natives made little Or no use OF the iuu
Of the animals around them. But since
those days, the arms of modern ciyil.zt
ton have proven themselves more than
match Tor the swift kangaroo. lie
moved swiftly, but cold lead ouNtripped
HIM aud laid him low. Even when hall
a mile away he was still within deadly
range; aud the race that throve and
multiplied In the face Of the boomerang,
nulla and spear graluaIy drew Oh into
the interior, their numbers becoming
less and less with each year. The high
prices paid l0r the skins OF these animals
has had much to do with this wholesale
determination. they being much sought
after on account OF the fur, but more
especially because OF the fine leather
the hide affords when tanned.
IL IS needless to say that kangaroo.
hunting is deemed good sport IN that
country. And / must confess the game
is now just about scarce and shy enough
TO make good sport, Tor good deal oil
hunting and some knowledge OF the
habits Of the animal, Is necessary IN order
to bag even one. one method that is
generally adopted when the party Is a
large Is this: When tracks OF the game
are seen, the party divides up--some
slationlug themselves In "A line across a
gulCh OF Taylnc, or near tie paths OF the
animals az a safe distance from each
other, while the horsemen steal as quiet
ly as possible down the gulch a few
miles and then separate and scour the
bush, soaring everything Ia the direction
OF the ambuscadc, where many some
times bite the aust, and Others run the
gauntlet safely. Sportsmen, who are
alone generally, sally forth a little before
sunset aud lie in wait for the animal as
Il passes by to drink. The great thumps
OF is tail at every jump, can be hearu
some distance away IN the quiet shades
Of evening, and though the animals are
comparatively harmless, the beating oi
the heart is quickened nevertheless.
By looking a. picture Of one OF them
Il will be seen that the hind legs are
very long and strong. They support the
weight OF the body, but are very uSCiul
when the animal Is brought TO bay By
dogs, In protecting ITSELF When the
dogs spring at the throat Of an "old
man" as an old male Is termed. he lifts
the powerful hind lex, and by a vigorous
kick, either throws the dog yards away,
or cuts him badly with his sharp, goat.
like huof. Dogs out for the first time
will very often spring at the kangaroo
inst chance from the front, but the Older
dogs, who have been there before, take
things quietly When Jagged out by q
long chase the poor animal sets his back
TO tree and faces the music Left TO
himself the kangaroo Is death on dogs.
u he can bu, get protection Tor his back.
The hunt Is an exciting chase Tor The
horses, dogs and men, hnt a cruel one
for the poor kangaroo, who has been
known as q last resource to take 10
water, only TO he drowned by the dogs.
Another thing la this connection Is, that
owing To the long distance from habita-
tons to where the animals are killed,
the bodies are lett TO rot, the skin being