The Boxing Kangaroo

Three years ago the "boxing kangaroo " was in the height ot his fame. This animal was said to have earned £20,000 in twelve monthß and whether this sum was correctly stated or not, it was admitted at the Royal Aquarium that he had " made more money " than any other animal, more even than the most celebrated racehorse had earned whether in train, ing or after. Now, though this particular '• old man " kangaroo boxed every day with a regularity and apparent zeal which would not have discredited a human professional, the secret of this performance lay not in any npecial teaching ot' the animal, bat in the cleverness by which bis owner had noted that a tame kangaroo when not afraid of his owner, always " boxes " if he is sparred with, patting up his short forearms and paws directly the man's hands approach hi« nobe, and retaliating by blows like those which a rabbit gives with hie forefeet. One of the wallabies at the Zoo does exactly the same, and even punches its keeper in the back if, after a round or to, he turns to leave. the cage. A small fortune was waiting for any one who could get a good large "boomer" kangaroo, reasonably tame, in time to set him boxing b-fore the novelty wore out. But tbougn the great grey kangaroo wus quite cheap and common in menageries twenty years ago, it was dibcoveiej tbat the visible supply in Europe had dwindled almost to nothing. The dealres could count the available specimens on the fingers of one hand, and as these were iv the gardens of learned societies, they were not for sale. The price ruse from the nominal one of £12 to £60. The Dublin Zoo were offered £80 for one which they had bought lor £40, aud lefused the double price, The fe* specimens in the Continent*! Zjolojiical gardeus w»re bought early by speculative showmen, and resold at hug^ profits, and a syndicate which waß formed later to exhibit a boxing kangaroo in Paris at an engagement of £300 a week bad to be broken up because not one could be obtained. Every kangaroo in Europe outside the zoological gaidens was" boxing" nightly. By the time some fresh specimens had been obtaind in Australia and shipped to England the excitement had snbsided. But the female " boomer" still costs from £40 ts £50 — rather a high price for a creature which was recently being killed off a? a troublesome species of vermin.