50 TYPES OF ANIMAL LIFE 



that this apparently two -clawed toe, really consists of two 

 very slender toes bound together in a common fold of skin. 

 They are the toes that answer to the second and third 

 toes of our own foot. Thus the kangaroo's hind foot, 

 instead of being like that of the antelope, is a still further 

 exaggeration of the foot of the bandicoot, just as that 

 again is an exaggeration of the foot of the phalanger 

 and the wombat. The really close relationship of these 

 seemingly very different beasts is thus revealed. 



A very distinct and very curious animal was also 

 found in Australia, which passes the greater part of its 

 life clinging to the branches of trees. It is, like the 



FIG. 13. 



THE ECHIDNA. 



sloth of South America, slow in its movements, with a 

 rounded head, long claws, a short body, and no tail. It 

 is named the koala (Fig. 12), and eats the tender shoots of 

 the blue gum-tree, feeding and sleeping at ease quite at 

 the tops of the trees. It is very tenacious of life, and 

 when even severely wounded will not quit its hold of the 

 branch to which it may at the time be clinging. It is 

 no wonder that this animal was often called by the 

 colonists in Australia the native sloth. 



Yet another strange animal was there discovered which 



