MA.MMAHA. 381 



the arctic repon, six hundred miles north of it, and dcscrihed 

 by Dr. (now Sir John) llichardson. It is equally distinct froni 

 that of South Carolina and Georgia, a territory about as far 

 distant to the south."* 



Our notice of the several orders of mammalia shall be com- 

 menced with those which are lowest in the scale, and gradually 

 ascend to man, gifted as ho has been with dominion " over 

 every living thing that moveth upon the earth." 



OnDEE MAKSUPIATA.— MARSUPIAL or POUCHED 



ANIMALS. 



"Deform'd, nnfinish'd, sent before my time 

 Into this breathiug world, scarce half made up." — Richard III. 



The greater number of the mammalia are nourished prior to 

 birth, by a network of blood-vessels named the placetita.-f 

 This is altogether wanting in the group now under considera- 

 tion. While others do not come into the world until the}' are 

 provided with all their organs, these are brought forth in an 

 extremely imperfect state. The female in most instances is 

 furnished with a peculiar pouch (Latin, marsupium, a purse or 

 bag), whence the scientific name for the order. In this pouch 

 the immatm-e young are received and nourished, and to it they 

 afterwards retreat on the approach of danger. Certain bony 

 projections, termed the Marsupial bones, are found in both 

 sexes, even in those species in which the characteristic pouch 

 does not exist. 



" The order Marsupiata," says Mr. Waterhouse, " embraces 

 a large assemblage of quadrupeds, amongst which are those 

 animiUs familiarly known as Opossums and Kangaroos. At 



* Travels in North America, vol. L p. 172 ■ The extract is given in 

 Berghaiis and Jolinston's Physical Atlas, from which all our infonnation on 

 the numbers and distribution of species is derived. 



f The mammalia which are thus nourished are termed placental; the 

 others the nun-placental. Some naturalists re^'ard this di.stiiicticn of so 

 great importance, that they consider the two divisions should rank aa distinct 

 classes. 



