INTRODUCTION. 65 



(Maeropus major,} which Professor Owen examined 

 twelve hours after birth, " resembled an earthworm in 

 the colour and semi-transparency of its integument, 

 adhered firmly to the point of the nipple, breathed 

 strongly but slowly, and moved its fore legs when 

 disturbed. Its body was bent upon the abdomen, 

 its short tail tucked in between the hind legs, which 

 were one third shorter than the fore legs, but with 

 the three divisions of the toes now distinct. The 

 whole length, from the nose to the end of the tail, 

 when stretched out, did not exceed 1 inch 2 

 lines.* 



Four days after the birth of the young Kangaroo, 

 Professor Owen, being anxious to decide the nature of 

 the connection between it and the nipple, and to 

 ascertain whether so small a foetus would manifest 

 the powers of a voluntary agent in regaining the 

 nipples, detached it, and, after two days, upon again 

 examining the pouch, he found it empty every por- 

 tion of the litter was carefully searched, in the hopes 

 of finding the foetus, but without success the mother, 

 therefore, owing to the disturbance of the young one, 

 had probably destroyed it. A similar experiment 

 was tried by Mr. Morgan,t on a foetus about the size 

 of a Norway Rat, which after two hours' separation 

 from the nipple, regained its hold, and sustained no 

 injury from the interruption of the supply of nou- 

 rishment. 



* Philosophical Transactions, Part ii. for 1834. 

 f Transactions of the Linnaean Society, vol. xvi. 



