94 



Div. 1. VERTEBRATE AXIMALS.— MAMMALIA. 



Class 1. 



cauines are wanting, and the middle incisors do not project beyond tlie others. The unequal size of 

 the hmbs is even more remarkable, so that they advance on all fours with difficulty and slowly, but 

 make immense leaps on their hind-feet, the great nail of which (almost in the shape of a hoof) serves 

 them likcsvise for defence, as, by supporting themselves on one foot and their enormous tail, they can 

 inflict a severe blow with that which is at liberty.* They are very gentle, herbivorous animals, their 

 grinders presenting only transverse ridges : they possess five in all, of which the anterior are 

 more or less trenchant, and fall with age, so that older individuals have often only three. Their 

 stomach is formed of two elongated sacs, that are inflated at several places like a colon : the ccecura 

 also is large and inflated. The radius allows a complete rotation of the fore-arm. 



The penis in these two genera is not bifurcated ; but the female organs are similar to those of other 

 Marsupiata. 



The Great Kangaroo (3/. major, Shaw).— Sometimes 

 six feet in heig-lit, being- the largest animal of New Hol- 

 land. It was discovered by Cook in 1779, and is now 

 bred in Europe. The flesh is said to resemble venison. 

 The young- ones, -which are only an inch long at birth, 

 remain in the maternal pouch even when they are old 

 enough to graze, which they efl'ect by stretching out the 

 neck from their domicile, -when the mother herself is 

 feeding. These animals live in troops, conducted by the 

 old males.f They make enormous leaps. [Numerous 

 other species are now known, which have even been ar- 

 ranged into subgenera : these, however, are not gene- 

 rally adopted. They degrade in size to smaller than a 

 Hare.] 



The fifth subdivision has two long incisors 



in the lower jaw, but no canines; in the upper 



. ,,, ,. ^. two long middle incisors, with some small ones 



[four in number] placed laterally, and two 

 small canines. It comprehends but one genus. 



The Koala {Koala, Cuv. ; Lipurus, Goldf. ; Phascolarctost, Blainv.),— 

 M^hich presents a short, stout body, and short legs, -vithout any [or rather with a short] tad: their ante- 

 rior toes, five in number, separate into two groups 

 for prehension, the thumb and index antagonizing 

 with the other three. On the hind-feet there is 

 no thumb ; ami the first two toes are united as in 

 the Phalangers and Kangaroos. [There are five 

 molars in each jaw, square, with four tubercles each, 

 excepting the first. This animal is essentially a 

 Phalanger with a short tail.] 



One only is known (,Lip. cincreus, Goldfuss.)— Of a 

 ffreyish colour, which passes its life partly upon trees, 

 and partly in burrows which it excavates at their foot 

 (tig. 44.) The female carries her young for a long time 

 on ber back. 



Finally, our sixth division of the Marsupial 

 animals, consisting of 



Fitf. 4-1.— Koala. 



The Wombat (Pfiascalormjs, Geof. ; [Amblotis, Bass]), — 

 Comprehends a true Kodent according to the teeth and intestines, which preserves its relationship with 

 the Carnaria only in the mode of articulation of its lower jaw ; and which, in a rigorous system, it 



• A Kanifaruo «in hag a Do(f wilh it. fore-paws, whilt it kicks and I Thcv lod^c during the day among hi>:h ferns, and feed cliicfly hf 

 rips up tlic belly with its hind-foot. — Ko. 



nit^ht, 3r in the c-venini; and niorniiii; ; but are very harp-frit^htcd 



♦ It appears rather that the animali of this (renus are nnt strictly I during the day.— Ed. 

 rc|f«nous, but CQlUct accidentally at the scattered feeding places. ' J This term is ecncrally adopted. -ED. 



