662 



MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



The praemolars and molars agree with the incisors in growino- 

 from permanent pulps, in which respect the Wombat differs 



Fig. 362. Skull si Macropus Bennetti. (After Giebel.) 



from all the other Marsupials, and agrees with the herbivorous 



Rodents, with those Edentata which have teeth, and with the 



extinct Toxodon (Owen). 



The Wombat is a nocturnal animal, and feeds chiefly upon 

 roots and grass ; and it is found in both 

 Australia and Van Diemen's Land. 



b. Poephaga. In this section are the Kan- 

 garoos (Macropodidce) and the Kangaroo-rats 

 or Potoroos (Hypsiprymnus\ all strictly phy- 

 tophagous. The Kangaroos are distinguished 

 by the disproportionate length of the hind- 

 limbs, and disproportionate development of 

 the posterior portion of the body as com- 

 pared with the fore-limbs and fore-part of the 

 body. The hind-legs are exceedingly long 

 and strong, and the feet are much elongated 

 the whole sole being applied to the ground. 

 The hind-feet (fig. 363) have four toes each, 

 of which the central one (the 4th toe) is by 

 far the largest, and the two inner toes (the 

 2d and 3d toes) are very small, and are united 

 by a common integument. The hallux is 

 wanting altogether. The tail is also extreme- 

 ly long and strong, and is of great assistance 

 to the animal when standing upright upon the 

 hind-limbs. From the length and strength of 



Fig. 363- -Hind-foot of the hind-limbs and hind-feet, the Kangaroos 



Macropus Bennetti. T_IJ. cc t j- MI 



(After Flower). are enabled to effect extraordinarily long 



and continuous bounds. In fact, leaping is 



the ordinary mode of progression in the typical Kangaroos ; 



and when walking upon all fours their locomotion is slow arid 



ungraceful. The anterior extremity of the body is very dimin- 



