Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-08-18

"a a ELBOURNE, NictoTia, AustrG LA.
M The native animals Of Australia rat:
are OF the pouched or marsupial
order once scattered over the world, but
now found only here. with one small ex-
ception.
In America, fossils OF animals with
pouches, IN which the young were car
ried and Jed By the mother, are found
ccassiorally ia rocks OF bygone ages
But the 'possum Of our Southern States,
famed IN plantation song. is curiously
enough their only surviving reis tive out
side Australia. So when the Australian
sings "Dixie"-as he does often-it is the
link Of kiuship IN the past calling him,
through the 'pOssum, from about the
eighth layer down. Why shouldn't two
people with these ancient blood ties get
along well together, even if we have to
sink a we'll through the earth now TO get
touch OF the relationship?
The biggest animal In Australia, spread
all over the continent, IS the kangaroo.
of which there are four sepsrate species
which stand, when erect. well over five
feet in height The twenty varieties Of
walIaby are practically smaller kangaroo.
while other still smaller species are com
monty known as kangaroo rats and mice.
Red KANGAROO
OFTEN Blue ONE.
The so-called red kangaroo Of the
inland plains Is just as often a blue
kangaroo as a red one. This was the
kind formerly hunted by dogs -gener-
ally a coarse type OF greyhound. When
brought To bay the great kangaroo Is a
plucky fighter. either backing up against
a tree or taking 10 water deep enough to
enable him 10 stand while compel Ing
aH inc 40
catches the dog in his foreless used as
arms and hauds-then with a forward
lunge Of that powerful hind leg. the
central toe Of which is armed with a long,
dagger like nail he can cut dog TO rib
bons and dlsembowel him at one blow.
BE has been taught TO box i'm a per
functory way, hut prefers to deliver the
goods "a the French style Of Ia S2vatte,
or kicking. the kangaroo using the hind
leg with great force. When be stands
erect, the long. heavy tau is used 70 bal
ance him like the third leg OF a tripod,
and as he moves in a succession OF
/ leaps it becomes a counterpOise for the
/ body. Taking a fence quite easily IN
his stride. a single kangaroo leap has
/ been measured 70 cover sixty feet Nov
/ ing slowly. he looks slow and awkward,
/ but a flying kangaroo doe at the top
/ Of her pace is as graceful as she is fast
! The young when born are at once
/ placed In the pouch, where they live until
! they become too large for the nursery
The Boongarry tree kangaroo Of Queen
land, a fine climber, lives and feeds
most Of his time in the treetOps, leap
/ ing as easily as the most agile monkey
from bough to bough. In the island
/ State Of Tasmania alone nearly a hun
Z G-.E Nora hf1faH lae
THE COMICAL KoALA
/ on NATIVE BEAR
/ A curious little creature is the koals, OF
IA tive bear Of Australia, which is about
80 inches long. gray with whItish under
| parts. feet and ears, with fluffy hair and
| prominent ears and cheek pouches for
! temporary storage OF food. The kOala is
lazy, sleeping In a tree during the day
| and feeding at night on roots and leaves
Each spring these animals have a single
addition TO the family. When the little
one is able to leave the mothers pouch
| it frequently gets on her back and holds
on there while she climbs about the trees
/ The young one has a CRY much like that
1 OF a small child. On windy nights es-
/ peciaIIy the shrll cry Of the istle bear
/ can often be heard. answered By the ooSr
voice OF the mother The fur Of the koa
I they are difficult TO shoot They gsnsr-
/ ally rest on the higher branches of the
/ tall trees.
/ Another queer animal with a queer
name Is the wombat. khich has also