168 LEAVES FROM THE 



tremity was of smaller diameter than ttie rest of the 

 organ, not being yet so compressed by the contracted 

 orifice of the mouth as to form the clavate appearance 

 which it presents at a later period. The poor young one 

 moved its extremities vigorously after it was detached, 

 but made no apparent effort to apply its legs to the in- 

 tegument of the mother, so as to creep along, but seemed 

 to be perfectly helpless with regard to progressive motion. 

 It was deposited at the bottom of the pouch. The 

 mother was then liberated, and carefully watched for 

 an hour. 



She immediately exhibited symptoms of uneasiness, 

 stooped down and licked herself, and scratched the out- 

 side of her pouch. At last, resting on the tripod formed 

 by her hind-legs and tail, she grasped the sides of the 

 orifice of the pouch with her fore-paws, and, drawing 

 them asunder, as in the act of opening a bag, she put 

 her head into the cavity as far as the eyes, and moved it 

 about in different directions. She never meddled with 

 the pouch when she was in a recumbent posture; but 

 when apparently urged by uneasy sensations, she rose 

 and repeated the operation of drawing open the bag and 

 inserting her muzzle, keeping it there sometimes for half 

 a minute. Professor Owen never observed her put her 

 fore-legs into the pouch ; they were invariably used to 

 open it. When she withdrew her head, she generally 

 finished by licking the orifice of the pouch and swallow- 

 ing the secretion. After repeating the act above described 

 some dozen times, she lay down and seemed to be at 

 ease. When she had remained quiet for about half an 

 hour she was again examined, and the young one was 

 found, not at the bottom of the pouch, but within two 

 inches of the nipple, breathing strongly and moving its 

 extremities irregularly as before. The Professor made 

 an unsuccessful attempt to replace it on the nipple, and 

 the mother was then released. Two days afterwards the 



