Kangaroos, Phalangers. 83 



slender. The tail is thick and with the hind legs 

 makes a tripod whereupon the animal rests when 

 standing. In feeding, the animal bends down so as 

 to rest on the short forepaws, and in running it pro- 

 gresses by a series of long leaps or bounds in which 

 it uses only its hind legs. 



The largest living kangaroos are about five to six 

 feet high when standing ; but the majority of the 

 species are small, some being not larger than a rat 



FIG. 39. 



Teeth of kangaroo rat. 



These true kangaroos are herbage -feeders, and they 

 have a complexly-pouched stomach to enable them to 

 digest green food. Their teeth generally are : 



The phalangers, or Australian opossums, are fruit- 

 eaters for the most part, and like the opossums of 

 America they have an opposable thumb on the hind 

 foot, which thus is able to act in grasping like a hand. 

 Some of these phalangers have wing-like side folds of 

 skin stretching from the fore to the hind limbs, where- 

 by they are able to take long flying leaps. 



