﻿KANGAROOS. 1 1 



THE KANGAROOS. FAMILY MACROPODID^. 



The Kangaroos and their aUies, or Macropodidce^ form the 

 first, and, in some respects the most, specialised Family of the 

 first Sub-order of the Marsupials, known as the Diprotodontia ; 

 and before considering the characteristics of the family, it will 

 first be necessary to mention those of the Sub-order. 



The Diprotodonts (so' named from the general presence of 

 only a single pair of incisor teeth in the lower jaw) form a large 

 group exclusively confined to Australia and the neighbouring 

 islands, and include the whole of the herbivorous represen- 

 tatives of the Order. They are especially characterised by the 



Side View of Upper and Lower Teeth of Kangaroo. 



number of their incisor teeth, which never exceed three pairs 

 above and below, and are usually three on each side of the 

 upper and one in the lower jaw, although in the Wombats 

 there is but a single pair in each jaw. In all cases the inner- 

 most (in some instances the only) pair of incisors are large and 

 furnished with cutting edges ; while usually in the upper, and 

 invariably in the lower jaw the canines are either small or 

 wanting, and never form conspicuous tusks. On the other 

 hand, their molar teeth (four in number) have broad and 

 squared crowns, generally carrying either a pair of transverse 

 ridges or several blunt and rounded tubercles, and thus being 

 in all respects adapted for a herbivorous diet. 



As a family, the Macropodidce. are distinguished from the other 



