664 MANUAL OF ZOOLOGY. 



The Kangaroo-rats (Hypsiprymnus) differ from the true 

 Kangaroos chiefly in their smaller size, and in the presence of 

 well -developed upper canines (fig. 364, A), and in having 

 scaly tails. They are diminutive nocturnal animals, and they 

 live mostly upon roots. 



c. Carpophaga. Intermediate between the Kangaroos and 

 the typical members of the present section (the Phalangers) 

 is the Fhascolarctos the "native sloth" or "bear" of the 

 Australian colonists, and the " koala" of the natives (fig. 365). 

 This curious animal is about two feet in length, having a stout 



Fig. 365. Koala or Kangaroo-bear (Phascolarctos cinereus) (After Gould.) 



body, covered with a dense bluish-grey fur. The tail is want- 

 ing; and the feet are furnished with strong curved claws, 

 which enable the animal to pass the greater part of its exist- 

 ence in trees. In this it is greatly assisted by the fact that all 

 the feet are prehensile, the hallux being opposable, and the 

 digits of the fore-limb divided into two sets, the thumb and 

 index-finger being opposable to the other fingers. The dental 

 formula is 



. * 3 T i T i 4 4 



z ^__ J c -- - ; /;;/ _ ; ;// = 30. 



i i o o i i 4 4 



The koala is a slow animal which feeds on the foliage of the 

 trees in which it spends its existence. 



