ORDERS OF MAMMALIA. 291 



hind and fore limbs, the former being by far the longest and 

 strongest. By their long hind-legs, assisted by a powerful 

 tail, the Kangaroos can perform astonishing jumps, and, in 

 fact, leaping is their mode of progression when pursued. 



The typical Kangaroos live on the great grassy plains of 

 Australia ; but the Tree Kangaroos spend a great part of 

 their time in trees, and the Rock Kangaroos affect mountainous 

 districts. The Kangaroo-bear or Native Sloth (Phascolarc-" 

 tos cinereus, Fig. 143) has no tail, and has the body covered 

 with a short, dense fur, while the ears are tufted. The fore- 

 feet can be used as hands, and the toes are all furnished with 

 strong, curved claws. It is a harmless, nocturnal animal, and 

 spends most of its existence in trees. The typical group, 

 however, of the vegetable-eating Marsupials is that of the 

 Phalangers, comprising a large number of small animals which 

 live in trees, and generally possess a prehensile tail. The 

 most familiar example is the Australian " Opossum " (PTialan- 

 gista vulpina), which is largely hunted by the natives. In 

 the so-called "flying" Phalangers, again, the tail is not pre- 

 hensile, and the animal takes extensive leaps from tree to 

 tree, by means of a fold of skin which stretches between the 

 body and the fore and hind limbs. 



Of the carnivorous Marsupials, the Bandicoots (Perameles), 

 the Native Devil (Dasyurus), the Native Tiger (Thylacinus), 

 and the American Opossums (Didelphidce), may be mentioned. 

 The Bandicoots are little, rabbit-like Australian animals, which 

 live upon insects, and seem to fill the place held in the Old 

 World by the Hedgehogs and Shrew-mice. The Native Devil 

 and Thylacine, though both of comparatively small size, are 

 extremely ferocious, and do much mischief to the flocks of the 

 Tasmanian colonists. About twenty species of DidelphidoB 

 are known, and they are all exclusively confined to the Ameri- 

 can Continent. They are all of small size, have prehensile 

 tails, and mostly live among trees. The best-known species 

 is the Virginian Opossum (Didelphys Virginiana). 



OEDER III. EDENTATA (Lat. e, without ; dens, tooth). 

 This order of Placental Mammals comprises the Ant-eaters, 

 Armadillos, and Sloths, and is characterized by the fact that 

 the teeth are not covered with enamel, have no complete 

 roots, and are never replaced by a second set. Further, in 

 none of the Edentates are there any central incisor teeth, and 

 in all but one there are no incisors at all. In two genera only 

 are there no teeth ; so that the name Edentata is not a very 



