MAMMALIA 



207 



condition, are placed by the parent, and they remain there, attached 

 to the mammary glands, until more fully developed. 



The best known representatives of this rather small group are 

 the opossums, Fig. 131, of America and the kangaroos and wallabies 

 of Australia, Fig. 132. 



The Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana, is common in the 

 southern and middle states. It is a grey, thick-bodied animal of 

 about the size of a large cat; it has a rat-like, but prehensile, tail. It is 



FIG. 131. The opossum, Didelphis^virginiana. 



Zoology.) 



(From Hegner, College 



frequently hunted and used as food, the flesh being of a very agreeable 

 taste. Its flesh is supposed to be especially popular with the negroes. 



The kangaroos and wallabies vary in size from that of a small 

 cat to 5 feet or more in. height. Their small anterior legs are used 

 as hands and the animals usually progress by a series of leaps, using 

 for this purpose the strong hind legs and large tail. There are about 

 60 species of these Australian forms. 



The kangaroos are vegetarians and at times may be injurious to 



