264 POUCHED MAMMALS OR MARSUPIALS. 



hairs. The head, which is broad and short, is surrounded 

 with a fringe of hair. The nose is bare, and whiskers are 

 absent. The formation of the feet is singular, the claws of 

 the fore-paws being five in number, the two inner ones op- 

 posable to the toes like the thumb of a man to the 

 fingers of the hand. The next two toes are small and joined 

 together, and the fourth, which is the longest, is separate, 

 as is also the fifth which however is somewhat shorter. 



THE WOMBAT. 



The Phascolomyidae is a family of Marsupials repre- 

 sented by a single genus, the Wombat, sometimes called 

 the Australian Badger. There are three species of this 

 animal Phascolomys-platyrhinus, Phascolomys-latifrons 

 and Phascolomys-wombat. The latter is the most com- 

 mon. It is a clumsy animal, but in spite of its shuffling 

 gait is able to cover considerable ground, as it is patient 

 and persistent. It is easily caught alive, and in captivity 

 is indifferent to its keeper's appearance and cares for 

 nothing but its food. It is difficult to arouse Wombats 

 from their ordinary condition of good natured indiffer- 

 ence, but when excited they are able to take care of 

 themselves with their chisel-like teeth. 



The Common Wombat is about two feet long, has a 

 rudimentary tail, short thick neck, and a large head. The 

 short stout legs are adapted for burrowing by the stout 

 curved claws with which the toes, with the exception of 

 the innermost toe on each hind foot, are armed. It lives 

 chiefly on roots which it gnaws after the fashion of the 

 rodents. It has. two chisel-like incisor teeth in the upper 

 and two in the lower jaw, which like the beaver's are 

 separated by a gap from the molars. Of the five rootless 

 molars in each jaw, the foremost of each series is a pre- 

 molar of only half the size of the true molars. 



The short fur is soft and dense, and of the general 

 whitish grey color characteristic of most of the Australian 

 mammals. It is used extensively in the manufacture of 

 cheap, serviceable fur coats, sleeping bags and robes. 



The Bandicoots are small animals that show the same 

 disproportionate development of the hind legs which char- 



