THE CLIMBING MARSUPIALS. 



583 



face of the body is grayish brown, sprinkled with 

 black and white; the under surface is clingy white 

 or yellowish. The Opossum Rat is especially dis- 

 tinguished by a brush of long, black, bushy hair, 

 covering the last third of the tail; it is nearly twenty- 

 seven inches long, twelve and one-half of which are 

 included in the tail. It is indigenous to the whole 







KANGAROO RAT. This Australian animal well deserves its name, because 



of the rat-like appearance of its head and tail. The other portions of the body are 



formed like those of the Kangaroos. (Potorous tridactylus.) 



of continental Australia with the exception of the 

 northernmost region. 



Gould says: "Like the other species of the 

 genus, the Opossum Rat scoops out a hollow in the 

 ground for the reception of its thick-walled, grassy 

 nest, the appearance of which is so thoroughly in 

 harmony with the surroundings, that one is sure to 

 overlook it, except by the 

 most careful examination. -- '••■TJ ■f-^s^-<^L, 

 The way the dwarf Kan- : >,- 



garoo transports the dry - J j.«*«»s»^ 



grass for the construction 

 of its nest is very pecul- 

 iar. It is done by means . .^-Sr^sE- 

 of the tail, which is quite 

 prehensile. The animal 

 seizes a tuft of grass with 

 the tail and drags the ma- 

 terial to its destination; 

 one may imagine how 

 queer and curious a sight 

 is presented when, in con- 

 finement, it gathers the 

 material for its lair in a 

 similar way." 



THE KANGAROO RAT. 



The Kangaroo Rat 



(Potorous tridactylus} may 

 be recognized by its ob- 

 long head, its short legs 

 and its rat-like tail. Its 

 body is sixteen inches 

 long, its tail ten inches, 

 the body is of short, 



sturdy organization, and the neck is thick. The tail 

 is long, flat, and distinctly ringed and scaly; it is 

 covered very sparsely with short, stiff hairs. The 

 long, loose, feebly-glistening fur is dark brown above, 

 dingy or yellowish white beneath. 



The Kangaroo Rat is a native of the colonies of 

 New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and 

 Tasmania. It affects localities sparsely grown with 



bushes, and shuns an open prairie country. It scoops 

 out a hole in the ground between tufts of grass, 

 carefully lines it with dry grass and hay and there it 

 spends the day sleeping, usually in company with 

 others of its kind; it is of truly nocturnal habits, 

 appearing abroad only towards sunset. 



The Kangaroo Rat differs very markedly from 

 the other Kangaroos in its movements. It 

 runs quite differently and much more swiftly 

 than they, more after the manner of the Jer- 

 boas; that is, it moves the hind legs alter- 

 nately and not both at once. In respect to 

 diet it also differs from its heretofore de- 

 scribed relatives. It digs chiefly after tubers, 

 plants and roots and therefore sometimes 

 causes considerable damage in cultivated 

 fields. Since the establishment of zoological 

 gardens the Kangaroo Rat has not infre- 

 quently been taken alive to Europe and 

 America. It thrives excellently on plain 

 food and requires no particular shelter. A 

 box lined with hay or a small earth-house 

 suffices; if it is given no place of abode it digs 

 out a lair for itself and lines it carefully with 

 grass, leaves and hay, in the same manner 

 that it prepares a nest when free in its native 

 country. 



Zbc dlimbino flDarsupials. 



SECOND FAMILY : Phalangerid/E. 



In the family of the Climbing Pouched Animals 

 (Phalangerida)v/e range three sub- families, the mem- 

 bers of which are mostlv herbivorous, and seldom 



>;'■.< 



i •■■•' nil' i 



OPOSSUM RAT. This anii 



broad head, a long tail with tufted . 

 fleet, as it jumps about on its hind ft 



tal belongs to the sub-family of the Kangaroo Rats. It has a short, somewhat 

 id, and strongly developed hind quarters and limbs. Its movements are very 

 ;t, but slow when on all fours. (Bettongia penicillata.) 



carnivorous or insectivorous; they lead an arboreal 

 life, have five toes on each foot, a single-cham- 

 bered stomach and a well developed pouch, opening 

 in front. On the hinder feet the second and third 

 toe are grown together, while the fourth is the long- 

 est and the nailless great-toe (corresponding to the 

 thumb of Man) is opposable to the others; the toes 

 of the fore feet are or more or less equal size. 



