1 68 THK NATURALIST IN AUSTRALIA. 



brought to light the fact, now generally accepted, that these 

 were what we now call Marsupials. One at least of the small 

 beasts of the Portland Stone-beds belongs to a species of 

 kangaroo rat now actually alive in Australia Myrmicobius. 

 Animals of this natural Order are distinguished by the provision 

 of a marsupium, or pouch ; their fossil remains are identified by 

 the peculiar inward curve of the lower jawbone and by a pair 

 of flattened "marsupial bones" upon the front edge of the lower 

 part of the pelvis. The young marsupials are born in an 

 extremely immature state mere tiny boneless lumps of flesh. 

 Immediately after birth they are placed (by means of some 

 incomprehensible manipulation on the part of the parent) in the 

 pouch, in whose recesses they remain permanently attached to 

 the papillae for some months. In some of the larger marsupials 

 the young, after they are weaned, still use the pouch as a place 

 of refuge. I have seen a kangaroo "joey" take a flying dive of a 

 couple of yards into his mother's ready pocket, and instantly turn 

 himself round and pop his head out to have a good look at me. 



At the bottom of the scale, in the order of development, 

 comes the family known as the Monotremata, peculiar to the 

 southern colonies of Australia, represented by two types well 

 known as the "Platypus" and the "Porcupine." Although 

 quadrupeds, they are structurally related to the birds. Both 

 animals were fairly common in my Bush parish, and I have more 

 than once seen a Platypus family splashing and romping, rolling 

 each other over and over, in the river at sunset. The Echidna, 

 or Australian porcupine, feeds upon ants and other insects. It 

 delights to stroll along the middle of the road at night, and has 

 often frightened my horses. It is easily caught by seizing a 

 hind leg. Its spines are short, but sharply pointed, and 

 embedded in a coarse brown fur. 



Marsupials include a great many sub- Orders and species, from 

 the great Forester, or Old Man Kangaroo, down to the tiny 

 Opossum Mouse. The largest kangaroo is on the way to 

 extinction, but the Brush Kangaroo, the Wallaby, and smaller 

 kinds are holding their own in the forested regions. In this 



