288 



THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 



mother, where they remain till more fully developed. In 

 these animals the hind legs are greatly developed, and the 

 fore legs but little. They progress by enormous leaps, 





FIG. 59. 1, KANGAROO (Macropas major) ; 2, OPOSSUM. 

 (Didelphus Virginiana). 



resting on the hinder legs and tail, both of which are very 

 strong. They belong exclusively to Australia, which appears 

 to produce many forms having peculiarities not met with 

 elsewhere, and among the lowest of their type ; this and 

 the next order appear somewhat to partake of the form of 

 the Bird, the undeveloped state of the young in the Marsu- 

 piata, being an approach to the egg of the Oviparous animals. 



2. The MONOTKEMATA includes the Duck-bill, called also 

 "Platypus," and " Ornithorynchus paradoxus," (fig. 60), a 

 most singular combination of the forms of the mammal and the 



