OUrEllS OF MAMMALIA. 



323 



ropodidie), distinguislied by the remarkable disjiroportioii between 

 the hind and fore limbs, the former being by far the longest and 

 strongest. By their long hind-legs, assisted by a powerful tail, the 

 Kangaroos can perform astonishing jumps, and, in fact, leapjing is 

 their mode of progression when pursued. 



The typical Kangaroos live on the great grassj' plains of Australia; 

 but the Tree Kangaroos spend a great part of their time in trees, 

 and the Rock Kangaroos affect mountainous districts. The Kan- 

 garoo-bear or Native Sloth {Phascolarctos cinerevx)^ has no tail, and 

 has the body covered vi^ith a short, dense fur, whilst the ears are 

 tufted. The fore-feet can be used as hands, and the toes are all 



Fig. 229.— Tlie female of Diddphys dorsigera, nne of the Sontli American Ojiossums, 

 carrying its yonng npon it.s liacli. 



furnished with strong curved claws. It is a harndess nocturnal 

 animal, and spends most of its existence in trees. The typical 

 group, however, of the vegetable-eating Marsupials is that of the 

 Phalangers, compri.sing a large number of small animals which live 

 in trees, and generally possess a prehensile tail. The most familir.r 

 example is the Australian " Opossum " (Phalangtsta vulpiaa), which 

 is largely hunted by the natives. In the so-called " ilying " Phalan- 

 gers, again, the tail is not prehensile, and the animal takes extensive 

 leaps from tree to tree, by means of a fold of skin which stretches 

 between the body and the fore and hind lindis. 



Of the carnivorous Marsupials, the Bandicoots (Perameles), the 

 Native Devil (Da.ii/urus), the Native Tiger {Thylacinns), and the 



