POUCHED AKIMAXS. 247 



with bristles is about four feet, and its feet which are short, 

 are furnished with strong claws which enable it to excavate 

 the cavities in which it lives. 



The Ant- The true Ant-Eater is found in the South 

 Eater. American tropics. The Great Ant-Eater belongs 

 to La Plata, the Little Ant-Eater to the Brazils. The Great 

 Ant-Eater is four feet in length, without its tail, which is 

 two feet six inches long. The true ant-eater like the Pan- 

 golin aheady described inserts its long tongue into the nest 

 of the ant, catching its little victims in large numbers by 

 the sticky mucus which covers its tongue. 

 ORDER XII. ^ ^^^ several families classed in this order 

 Pouched the opossums and the kangaroos are the most 

 Animals. familiar. The Dasyures of Tasmania and the 

 Bandicoots of Australia and New Guinea also belong to this 

 order, as do the many varieties of the Phalanger of Australasia 

 and those of the Wombat of Tasmania. The pouch is one 

 of the most remarkable provisions of Nature, the yoimg of 

 the pouched animals being small and of imperfect form at 

 birth and requiring the protection of the pouch for their 

 sustenance and development. 



The The common Opossum, which is a native of 



Opossiim. Virginia, is about the size of a badger. It is 

 provided with a pouch, in which it carries its young, and 

 into which they leap on the approach of danger. Its covering 

 is a coat of long fur, of a dingy white colour. It feeds upon 

 fish, birds, insects, and reptiles. Its tail is very muscular, and 

 by this it hangs from the branches of trees and, watching its 

 prey, lets itself fall upon its victims with great precision. 

 Its hind feet are formed something like hands, by which it is 

 enabled to climb with wonderful facility. The opossum when 

 caught often simulates death so admirably that he deceives 

 his captors and ultimately escapes them. 



The The Kangarpo belongs to Australia and New 



Kttngaroo. Guinea. The length of its body is from four to 



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