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Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 400, 17 October 1874, Page 3

A Kangaroo attacked by Eagle- i hawks.— The " Queenslander" states that an interesting scene of eaglehawks attacking a young kangaroo was witnessed on the Downs recently. Emerging from the bed of a crjeek, the spectator observed, at the distanced a hundred yards or so, several eaglehawks fluttering from the lower branches of the trees to the ground in an excited sort of way and soon discovered that they were busy around something which was in motion. Cautiously approaching nearer, the object of their attention turned out to be a young kangaroo, a joey about nine months old. Some half-a-dozen eaglehawks were on the ground besides him, ever and anon making feints of attacking with their beaks. Others were seated on the branches just overhead, now and then sailing off and swooping past, brushing him with their wings. Their object i shortly appeared as he was scared into flight, when a hot pursuit at once commenced. The hawks appeared to prefer attacking their intended prey while itl motion, as they wheeled overhead and made swooping dasheß at him, beating his head with their pinions and clawing at him as they darted by. A very short course of this work satisfied the kangaroo which soon came to a halt at the foot of a tree, the eaglehawks settling beside and over him as before. They now appeared to have discovered the presence of the human intruder, and an evident scout, after few preliminary circlings, came sailing directly towards him, while numbers hitherto unseen, arose in the air from the trees around. On his cautiously approaching the kangaroo, he counted no less than nineteen eaglehawks at one time, but by the time he got near the prey only two or three remained on view, the rest having sailed away out of sight. The joey appeared stupified probably with the buffetting he had got. and took no notice of the approach of the observer within two or three yards. A little time, however seemed to clear his faculties somewhat, and he hopped away vigorously for 100 yards or so. As soon as he put himself inmotiou, the eaglehawks at hand recommenced their tactics of pursuit, and others began to appear as specks in the sky, rapidly making their way afresh to the acene of action. When last seen, poor joey waa crouching hopelessly beside the bole yf a tree, with his persecutors gathered around him as at first. He had received little apparent damage. No wound was noticed, but the fnr was stripped from one small patch on his back. The plan of the eaglehawks was evidently a patient, intermittent attack, till they should have exhausted the strength of their victim, when their beaks would soon i tear his Ufa out.