Kangaroos. 



8 1 



FIG. 37 . 



of the body a pouch wherein the young are received 



and sheltered after their birth. This pouch is sup- 



ported by two bones (fig. 37, ;;/,) 



similar to those described in 



connection with the pelvis of 



the Monctremes ; to these bones 



the name marsupial bones has 



been given, but they exist in the 



pouchless males as well as in 



the pouch-bearing females. All 



the marsupials are clad with 



thick fur, and they are armed 



with claw-bearing toes, two of 



which on the hind foot tend 



to become very small and united 



within a common web of skin. 



They exhibit many characters 



of inferiority to the other mam- 



mals ; thus, the two lateral lobes 



of the fore-brain are nearly 



smooth on the surface and are 



imperfectly united together, and the young are born 



in an exceedingly rudimental state. 



The marsupials vary very much in habit, and are 

 modified to suit these habits. Thus, the Tasmanian 

 devil and Tasmanian wolf are flesh-eaters, with sharp 

 claws and sharp strong teeth (fig. 35). The opossums 

 of America are insect-eaters, and have sharp and 

 numerous teeth ; they are the only marsupials which 

 live outside the great Australian region, to which 

 all the others are confined, and of which they are 

 almost the sole mammalian inhabitants. Some of 



Pel vis of kangaroo. 

 , marsupial bones; 62, mum. 



