56 



VERTEBRATES: MAMMALS. 



It often lies motionless for hours in the warm sunshine. 

 When slightly wounded it has the habit of feigning 

 itself dead, or " playing possum," and in that way 

 often escapes from the inexperienced hunter. 



KANGAROOS. 



Kangaroos are marsupials which are remarkable for 

 the great development of their hinder parts, the hind 



Fig. 98. Kangaroo. 



legs and tail being very long and powerful, and the fore 

 legs very short, weak, and but little used in locomotion, 

 which is accomplished by leaps of enormous extent. 

 They live in troops, feed upon vegetation, and are harm- 

 less and easily tamed. They vary in size from that of a 

 rabbit to that of a deer. 



Tig. 99. Wombat. Fig. 100. Skull of Wombat. 



The Wombat is a very curious animal of Australia, 



