kangaroo
n.
Any one of numerous species of jumping marsupials of the family Macropodidæ . They inhabit Australia , New Guinea, and adjacent islands, They have long and strong hind legs and a large tail, while the fore legs are comparatively short and feeble. The giant kangaroo ( Macropus major ) is the largest species, sometimes becoming twelve or fourteen feet in total length. The tree kangaroos, belonging to the genus Dendrolagus , live in trees; the rock kangaroos, of the genus Petrogale , inhabit rocky situations; and the brush kangaroos, of the genus Halmaturus , inhabit wooded districts. See Wallaby .
|