1 68 MARSUPIALIA 



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near its posteroexternal angle. Fourth upper premolar with a 

 secant edge, and an inner basal ledge or tubercle ; correspondin 

 lower tooth secant ; both may be longer or shorter than first molar 

 Molars (except very occasionally) with a distinct longitudinal bridge 

 connecting transverse ridges. Lower incisors long and scalpriform, 

 with inner secant edges opposable, owing to the loose articulation of 

 the mandibular symphysis. 



This genus includes the true Kangaroos and Wallabies, the size 

 of the individual existing species varying from that of a Rabbit 

 to that of a Man. There are no less than twenty-three existing 

 species, which may be divided into three groups, as well as many 

 extinct ones. The genus is found in Australia and New Guinea, 

 as well as in the eastern half of the Austro-Malayan transitional 

 region. 



The first group, or true Kangaroos, comprises the largest 

 existing forms, which are generally of a uniform and sombre colour. 



The skull is of a large and massive type, with the palate more 

 or less well ossified posteriorly, while the molars frecpiently have 

 a median longitudinal bridge connecting the first transverse ridge 

 with the anterior talon, and no antero-external bridge between the 

 same ridge and talon. The history of the discovery of the typical 

 representative of this group, as being of considerable interest, may 

 be given at some length. When Captain Cook, during his first 

 memorable voyage of discovery, was detained for the purpose of 

 refitting his ship at Endeavour river on the north-east coast of 

 Australia, a strange-looking animal, entirely unknown to them, was 

 frecpiently seen by the ship's company; and it is recorded in the 

 annals of the voyage that, on the 14th of July 1770, "Mr. Gore, 

 who went out this day with his gun, had the good fortune to kill 

 one of the animals which had been so much the subject of our 

 speculation, . . . and which is called by the natives kanguroo," a 

 name which, though it does not appear to be now known to any of 

 the aboriginal tribes of the country, has been adopted for this 

 animal in all European languages, with only slight modifications of 

 spelling. With the exception of a passing glimpse in the beginning 

 of the same century by the Dutch traveller Bruyn of some living 

 examples of an allied species, this was the first introduction to the 

 civilised world of any member of a group of animals now so 

 familiar. The affinities of the species, skins of which were brought 

 home by Captain Cook and subsequent voyagers, were recognised 

 by Schreber as nearer to the American opossums (then the only 

 known Marsupials) than to any other mammals Avith which zoologists 

 were acquainted, and consequently it Avas placed by him, in his 

 great work on the Mammalia, then in the course of publication, in the 

 genus Didel/phys, with gigantea for a specific designation, — the latter 

 having been bestowed upon it by Zimmermann under the impression 



