42 



MAMMALIA. 



ORDER IV. MARSUPIALIA.* 



Premature production of their young, which, incapable of 

 movement and possessing hardly the germs of limbs, attach 

 themselves to the mammae of the mother, there to perfect 

 their development. The skin of the abdomen generally 

 disposed in the form of a pouch about the mammse, and sup- 

 ported by two articulated bones in the pelvis, called marsu- 

 pial bones. One striking feature in this order is, that, although 

 there is great similarity in one species to another, yet they vary 

 very much in the teeth, digestive organs and feet. They 

 appear to be the connecting link from the Carnaria to the 

 Rodentia; and some animals having the marsupial bones, 

 but entirely without teeth, have been placed with the Eden- 

 tata. Six tribes. 



Tribe I. Didelphis, Lin. Opossum. 



Long canines and small incisors in both jaws. One re- 

 markable genus, the Opossums, have fifty teeth ; the posterior 

 thumbs long and easily opposable, a circumstance which has 

 caused them to be termed Pedimana ; tail prehensile and in 

 part naked; fetid, nocturnal animals, with a slow gait; ha- 

 bitation upon trees. [America alone.] 



Tribe II. Phalangista, Cuv. Phalangers. 



Upper canines long and pointed ; the inferior almost invi- 

 sible ; thumb large ; the two toes united as far as the first 

 phalanx. There are two remarkable genera. The Phalanger 

 proper has a prehensile tail, often in a great measure scaly ; 

 diet insectivorous and fructivorous ; habitation upon trees. 

 [The Moluccas.] The Flying Phalanger has an extension 

 of the skin of the sides, forming a parachute ; habitation 

 upon trees. [New Holland.] 



Tribe III. Hypsiprymnus, Illig. Potoroos. 



No posterior thumb nor inferior canines ; toes united as in 

 the Phalangers. 



* Pouched. 



