lOG 



MAMMALIA. 



canines are wanting, and the middle incisors do not project beyond tiie 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 Ukevrise for defence, as, by supporting themselves on one foot and their enormous tail, they can 

 inflict a severe blow with that which is at hberty.* 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 cojcum 

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



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

 Marsujjiata. 



Tlie Great Kano;aroo (M. major, Shaw). — Sometimes 

 six feet in height, beina: 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 effect by stretching out the 

 neck from their domicile, when the mother herself is 

 feeding. Tliese 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. ; Phascolarctos%, Blainv.), — 

 AVhich presents a short, stout body, and short legs, without any [or rather with a short] tail : their ante- 

 rior toes, five in number, separate into two groups , ^r- , 

 for prehension, the thumb and index antagonizing 

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

 no thuml) ; and the first two toes are united as in 

 the Phalangcrs 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. cinereus, Goldfuss.)— Of a 

 greyish colour, which passes its life partly upon trees, 

 and partly in burrows which it excavates at their foot 

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

 on her back. 



Finally, our sixth division of the Marsupial 

 animals, consisting of 



Fig. 43.— Great Kanga 



The Wombat {Phascalomys, Geof. ; \_Amhlolis, Bass]), — 

 Comprehends a true Rodent according to the teeth and intestines, which preserves its relationship wirli 

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



• A Kangaroo will hng a Dog- with its fore-paws, while it kicks anri 

 rips up the belly with its hind-foot.— Ed. 



* It appears rather that the animals of thi.s genus are not strictly 

 gregarious, but collect accidentally at the scattered feeding places. 



They lodge during the day among high ferns, and feed chiefly by 

 night, or in the evening and morning; but are very sharpsiglittd 

 during the day. — Ed. 



X Tills term is generally adopted. — Ed. 



