322 



VKli'l'ICD!!ATK AKIMALS. 



( )liDKll II. MaRSUPIALIA. 



The name of Jfarxnjujilx is ileiived from the fact tliat the females 

 of this onlei' are furnished witli an alidoiuimrl pouch or marsiipium 

 (sometimes very imperfect), witliin whicli the nipjiles are situated. 

 When Iioi-n, the 3'ouiig are phiced b}' the mother witliin this jjouch, 

 where they adhere to tlje teats, and can be carried about without 

 injury. Even wlien further advanced, the }'ouiig often betake tliem- 

 sehes tij tlie shelter of the marsupium. No placenta is present, and 

 tlie youuu; when born are therefore in a very imperfectly devehjped 

 state. The so-called " ni.arsupial bones " (fig. 228) are present, and 

 as they spring from the front of the 

 pelvis they no doidit serve to support 

 the ])0uch ; liut this cannot be their 

 sole use, as they exist in the males, and 

 also in the Mi.intrenies, in whom there is 

 no pouch. All Marsupials possess teeth, 

 and the pectoral arch has now the same 

 form as in the higher Mammals, the 

 eoracoid bones being now a:nalgamated 

 with the shoulder-blade. The cranial 

 bones are distinct. The inte.stine does 

 not terminate in a cloaca. 



TIjough the Jfurmipialia form an ex- 

 tremely natural order, sharply separated 

 from the other Mammals, they include a 

 large number of varied forms. In fact, 

 this order, from its being the almost ex- 

 clusive j)Ossessor of a continent so large 

 as Australia, has to discharge, in the 

 genei-al economy of nature, functions 

 which are elsewhere ]ierformed by sev- 

 eral orders. As regards their geograph- 

 ical distributii>n, with the single excep- 

 tion of the fa,niily Di^lelpliuhr (the true Opossums), the whole order 

 of the Marsupi.als is cxchisively con lined to Australia, Van Diemen's 

 Lanil, New (juinca, and the adjacent islands. 



The Marsupials ]ii:iy W |)rimarily divided into the vegetable-eating 

 and the ra]>acious or caTiii\ia'ous forms— the foiiucr characterised by 

 the absence or rudimentary condition of tlie canine teeth, the molars 

 having broad, grinding crowns ; whilst in the latter there are well- 

 i|[;veli>iied i-aninis, .-inil the molars a,rc not ada]ited for grinding. Of 

 the vcgetablc-cating forms, the best known are the Kangaroos {Mac- 



