KANGAROOS. II 
THE KANGAROOS. FAMILY MACROPODIDA. 
The Kangaroos and their allies, or WZacropodide, 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 
a 
a= 
Side View of Upper and Lower Teeth of Kangaroe, 
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 
hatid, 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 
i ail respects adapted for a herbivorous diet. 
Asa family, the Macropodide are distinguished from the other 
