CLASS MAMMALIA. 



181 



FIG. 309. 



the jaws lack the horny covering of the Duck-bill. It 



has no teeth, and feeds 



on insects, which it 



captures with its long 



flexible tongue. Its 



body is covered with 



hair and spines. When 



surprised, it rolls itself 



into a ball, or burrows 



flatwise into the earth 



. , . . EcKid'na hys' trix. Porcupine Ant-eater. (*.) 



with surprising rapidity. 



Recent investigation asserts that this animal deposits an 

 egg which is placed in a fold of the skin a pouch until 

 it finally hatches ; the young is retained in the pouch, 

 by the mother, until it is able to care for itself. 



ORDER MARSUPIAL1A (mar su pi a'li a). 



The Marsupials (pouched) are not over an inch long at 



> birth, when they are immediately transferred to a pocket 

 FIG 310 formed by the skin of 



^^BH. ^*OM. ^ ie m ther's abdomen. 

 Jll Nourished by milk, they 



remain there, as in a liv- 



^^^^^||^^^ ing cradle, till able to 



take care of themselves. 

 The dentition shows that 

 some are carnivorous, 

 while others are herbivo- 

 rous. Except two genera, 

 they belong to Australia 



Mdel'phys vir gin i a' na. Opossum. -, -IT 



and adjacent islands. 



The Oiwssuni belongs to this Continent, but of the 

 thirty species, only one is found in North America. The 



