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AUSTRALIAN BUSH SPORT Many Strange Creatures and Birds Live in Antipodean Woods million of AMlatlc BnrTalo and Kan Karoo Offer Sport of Highest Australia is a regular sportsmans paradise ami many queer creatures are captured capturedThe The iguana is n sort of land alligator frequently measuring six feet from tip to tip While its at ¬ tractiveness as an edible is limited to the Aus ¬ tralian aborigine its attractiveness as a trophy appeals to all visiting hunters for the skin when tanned makes a good souvenir The iguana is usu ¬ ally found along the edge of the bush forest and can be chased at a fair speed by a mounted hunter This is purely for amusement because they are easy to shoot when once sighted but the great lizard in a hurry is a ludicrous object as it whacks along the ground with its stubby legs wiggling frantically even while the animal is in the air for the iguana makes haste in a series of long jumps jumpsIn In Tasmania the green parrots offer a novel sport for shotgun enthusiasts and parrot pie is a genuine treat treatUp Up in Queensland are the wingless birds the kiwi the emu and the cassowary t Mounted specimens of these birds are an interesting addition to any col ¬ lection lectionFor For the camp table an abundance of rabbits is assured if no other meat is available for there are millions and millions of these animals but shooting them is tame sport so they attract attention only for their utility utilityIn In West Australia and the northern territory are thousands of wild ducks and the Australian method of hunting these assures big bags The buslf ponds are surrounded by the gunners and then the flock put up if it hasnt taken flight already and the birds are turned by the gunners who fire into them as they approach One party got fortyeight in two hours with only four guns going goingDEER DEER AND ASIATIC BUFFALO IN PLENTY PLENTYIn In the west too are enough deer to make hunting them worth while and also there are the brumby or wild horses which offer good sport Millions of Asiatic buffalo roam the northern territories and their bulk and bravery often call out all the reserve skill and courige of the hunter hunterWest West Australia offers to lovers of the chase the wildest and most thrilling sport possible with horse and hound Instead of chasing foxes the Australians chase the speedy kangaroo and the novice is fortu ¬ nate indeed to be in at the kill for the fleet Aus ¬ tralian horses are ridden full speed through the bush which is as difficult to negotiate as any dense wood in America Perhaps more so for hidden in the undergrowth are ant hills hard as concrete and anywhere from a foot to eight feet high highThe The Australian horse when trained to bush work becomes as quick and nimble as a cat without losing any of its speed The most the rider has to do is sit tight and ride bard for the thoroughbred horses run close to the bound and clear of all obstructions Of course they are liable to run under an overhang ¬ ing limb unless the rider is quick enough to see the danger and sometimes they clear trees enough to let themselves past but give their riders leg a hard bump Swinging well out in the saddle will usually prevent such painful contacts contactsChasing Chasing kangaroo is an eminently fair sport Only one dog Is used and these are especially bred for the work usually a cross between the fleet grey ¬ hound and the courageous Airedale No weapons are used the dog does it all after the game is sighted sightedThe The hard runs after kangaroo will average from a half mile to a mile which is quite far enough be ¬ cause of the exhausting nature of such a chase but sometimes a big boomer or giant kangaroo will run for several miles Usually however these pe ¬ culiar animals back up against the first available large tree and offer fight if the run has given them the advantage of enough distance to make such stopping place placeGIANT GIANT KANGAROO A GAME FIGHTER FIGHTERThe The battle between dog and boomer is vicious When tripoded upon hind legs and tail the kangaroo will stand from four to nine feet high and the reach of ills wicked hind legs is about equal to his height The kangaroos greatest weapon is the hornlike nail on the middle of his three toes He is powerful enough to drive this nail through solid soleleather leggings or rip them from top to bottom Naturally it behooves dog men and horses to keep at a safe distance There have been many untimely funerals because the hunters got close enough for the kanga ¬ roo to reach out witli its strong forelegs and hug the unfortunate exactly as a bear holds its victim The kangaroo however works faster for reaching up nearly to his own chin witli the powerful hind leg lie makes a quick slash and the resulting damage Is frequently fatal fatalKangaroo Kangaroo hindquarters are as delicious as plump young rabbit and taste much the same and kanga ¬ roo tail soup is one of the great delicacies of the Australian bush bushThe The weirdness of Australian wilds and the queer ness of Australian game are a closed book to most American sportsmen but one expedition makes an enthusiast of every hunter fortunate enough to visit the back blocks of the southern commonwealth
