A KANGAROO'S LOVE.

Waikato Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2283, 26 February 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

A KANGAROO'S LOVE.

When the congress of Kangaroos at the Museum were recently shipped from Australia to this city by way of Liverpool they were separated in the latter city, part of them being placed on the Assyrian Monarch and the rest on the Persian Monarch, there not being enough room on either ship for the fifteen caces. "Flora, " a female kangaroo, manifested great reluctance when separated from her . mr.te, which was put on bonrd the other steamer, and she became very melancholy and dumpish, refusing to eat or drink and rejecting the caresses of her keeper, to which she had been daily accustomed. At first the keeper thought his pet wassickand administered such medicine as ho thought would benefit her. but all to to no purpose, the same restlessness was apparent, and she repeatedly, called and seemed to strain her ears for reply. During tho voyage she gave birth to two bright-eyed kangaroo babies that nestled in the mother's pouch, peeping out now and then and hiding on the approach of any of the passengers. Meanwhile " Jack," the mate .of " Flora, " looked anxiously out of the bars of his cage for his mate, and called but no answer came. Tho ship bearing " Flora" was first to 1 arrive'and tho batch of kangaroos on board were at once sent to this city. The other load of kangaroos arrived last Friday in New York and were shipped here yesterday. Last night at the museum "Flora" envinced great uneasiness. Sho seemed to scent the coming of her mate, aud when the cage containing him was carried into the museum he heard "Flora's" voice, and answered. " Flora's" joy know no bounds, and she leaped about tho cage in the wildest excitement, ever and anon stopping to gilze out from behind the bars to see ifJivck" Had' come. The keeper, to prevent "Flora," from injuring herself against th'e'sides of her cage, was obliged to bring her mate upstairs and put him in' hor. cage. Never wa"»"aJ;more impressive- scene enacted between -animals!' They embraced; lickedjeacH otheVHvffh their tongues and rubbed their nosesiri'expression, forgetting all aboilt the kangaroobabieis. 'Finally, the father saw them and tenderly licked their faces, ivhfilg .the. little : things hop'ped from their mother's pouch to extend to him a friendly - -greeting.. ; " Jack," " Flora" and the two babies are the happiest animals in tho congress, and the keeper vows that ho will never separate them again.—Philadelphia Record. .