﻿14 Allen's naturalist's library. 



families, the third containing only a single genus differing ven 

 markedly from all the others and forming a kind of connecting-- 

 link between the present Family and the following one of the 

 Phalangers. 



THE KANGAROOS AND WALLABIES. GENUS MACROPUS. 

 Macropus^ Shaw, Nat. Miscell., vol. i., text to pi. xxxiii. (1790), 



The sub-family MacropodincE, of which this genus is the first 

 representative, includes forms of variable, although generally 

 large, size, in which the claws of the fore feet are sub-equal and 

 not disproportionately large, and the ears are generally long and 

 pointed. In the teeth, the fourth upper premolar has its axis 

 placed in the line of the other cheek-teeth, or but slightly 

 twisted outwardly ; the molars are transversely ridged, and 

 increase in size from the front towards the b^ck of the series ; 

 the canine is generally minute or absent ; and the innermost 

 upper incisor is but slightly longer than the other two. 



The members of the large genus Macropus, which vary in size 

 from that of a rabbit to that of a man, have a naked nose, well- 

 developed ears, and the fur on the nape of the neck almost 

 invariably directed downwards. The hind limbs are very 

 much longer and stronger than the front pair, with their 

 central claws markedly exceeding the terminal pad on the 

 sole of the foot in length. The thick and tapering tail 

 is evenly haired and not bushy ; and the teats are four in 

 number. 



All the species of the genus are terrestrial and saltatorial in 

 their habits ; their range including Australia and the eastern 

 Austro-Malayan islands. They may be divided into three groups, 

 the first of which is represented by the large Kangaroos proper, 

 while the second includes the considerably smaller animals 

 which may be termed Larger Wallabies ; the last group con- 

 sisting of the Smaller Wallabies. The species of these several 



