The Kangaroo.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 2, Issue 272, 18 February 1881, Page 2

The Kangaroo.

In 1770, Captain Cook visited Botany Bay in the Endeavor, which had been despatched in 1768 on a scientific mission. In the course of the voyage, and while anchored in Endeavor river, an exploring and foraging party (says Good Words) returned to the ship with the news that they had seen a new and curious animal, of a mouse color, and about as large as a greyhound, which moved with surprising dexterity and swiftness. This animal was seen next day, on which occasion, also, one of the seamen brought the surprising intelligence that he had seen the devil—this information relating to an animal which lie said had horns and wings. The animal proved to be minus the horns (which were, no doubt, its ears), but to possess wings, and appeared in the shape of a large fruit-eating bat. The new animal of the mouse color, and of the size of a greyhound, was duly seen by Captain Cook himself, who remarked its long tail, and also that it leapt like a hare or deer. On Saturday, July 14, a Mr. Gore shot one of the new animals, which was ascertained to be called “ kangaroo” by the natives, and which was likewise proved to be remarkably good eating at the voyagers’ dinner of Sunday, July 15, 1770. Such w-as the description given by Captain Cook of the now well-known kangaroo. Antiquarian researches in zoology, however, inform us that De Brunis, a Dutch traveller, saw a kangaroo as early as 1711. This animal was kept domesticated at Batavia, and was named “ Filander,” and appears to be the species now called “ Macropus Brunii,” after its discoverer.