POUCHED MAMMALS, OR MARSUPIALS. 179 



young can thus be much more safely carried in the 

 pouch during the long journeys that these animals are 

 compelled to take across the Australian wastes, in 

 search of water, than would be the case if the body 

 was placed in the ordinary horizontal position. 



Kangaroos are members of one primary group of 

 Marsupials mainly characterised by the form and 



FIG. 53. Side view of the skull of a gigantic extinct Kangaroo-like animal. 

 One-tenth the natural size. (From Owen.) 



arrangement of their teeth. Thus the front or incisor 

 teeth, as they are technically called, are of a chisel-like 

 form, and separated by a considerable interval from 

 the hinder or grinding-teeth, as is well shown in the 

 accompanying figure (53). There is only one pair of 

 these incisor teeth in the lower jaw or at all events 

 only one pair which is of any functional importance 

 while, as in the figure, there are usually three pairs 



