Phascolomyda:.- 
-MAMMALIA.- 
-Mackopida?. 
209 
observe in conclusion, that the varied members of this 
order are for the most part met with on the great 
Australian continent and its adjacent islands. Some 
few inhabit tlie warmer regions of America, and, what 
is still more interesting, fossil remains of others have 
been found in Europe, in the tertiary gypsum beds of 
Paris, and in the Stonestield slate of the great oolite 
formation in England. 
Family I.— PPIASCOLOMYD^. 
This family is probably represented by a single living 
species only, but the fossil genus, Diprolodon, estab- 
lished by Professor Owen, is also included in it, or in 
his rhizophagous tribe of marsupials, which is the same 
thing. This small group is characterized by the posses- 
sion of two incisor teeth in either jaw, above and below ; 
there are no canines, and a large interspace separates the 
incisives from the molars, which are twenty in number, 
the anterior four being spurious ; they have indistinct 
roots and flattened crowns. All the feet are penta- 
dactylous, but the thumb of the hind feet is rudimen- 
tary and clawless. The tail is extremely short. The 
stomach is provided with a special gland ; the ccecum 
being small, broad, and furnished with a vermiform 
appendage. 
THE WOMBAT {Phascolornys Wombat) — Plate 28, 
fig. 93 — is a short thick-set animal, from two to three 
feet in length, and weighing about . thirty pounds. 
The head is large, and furnished rvith small ears, the 
tail measuring only half an inch. In the skeleton, 
however — if three of the outer-iliac vertebral segments 
be reckoned as belonging to the catego'ry of sacral 
elements — there are no less than thirteen or fourteen 
caudal vertebrae. Another peculiarity in the skeleton 
arises out of the presence of fifteen or sixteen pairs of 
ribs — a number considerably exceeding that of other 
marsupials. The fur is thick, and of a sandy brovui 
colour below and at the sides, being darker along the 
line of the back. The eyes are small, and not at all 
prominent. One of the best accounts of the Wombat’s 
habits is that furnished by Colonel Collins at the early 
part of the present century. “ This animal,” he 
says, possesses no claim to swiftness, as most 
men could run it down. Its pace is hobbling or 
shuffling, something like the awkward gait of a 
bear. In disposition it is mild and gentle, as 
becomes a grass-eater ; but it bites hard and is 
furious when provoked.” His friend, Mr. Bass, 
he adds, “ never heard its voice but at that time. 
It was a low cry between a hissing and a whizzing, 
which could not be heard at a distance of more than 
thirty or forty yards. He chased one, and with his hands 
suddenly lifted it off the ground without hurting it, and 
laid it upon its back along his arm like a child. It 
made no noise nor any effort to escape, not even a 
struggle.” Subsequently, however, the little animal 
shrieked and made its escape, whilst Mr. Bass was 
preparing to tie it up. Colonel Collins further on 
observes, that besides living in Furneaux’s island, the 
Wombat inhabits the hills to the west of Port-Jackson. 
“In both these places its habitation is underground, 
VoL. I. 27 
the animal being admirably formed for burrowing; but 
to what depth it descends does not seem to be ascer- 
tained. According to the account given of it by the 
natives, the Wombat of the mountains is never seen 
during the day, but lives retired in its hole, feeding 
only in the night ; that inhabiting the islands is seen 
to feed all times of the day.” Its food consists chiefly 
of coarse grass and roots. The flesh is said to be 
delicate and excellent eating. The female produces 
three or four young at a single birth. 
From the examination of a skull brought from South 
Australia, Professor Owen has expressed his belief in 
the existence of a second species of Wombat, winch he 
has provisionally named Phascoloviys latlfrons. The 
fossil genus Diprolodon attained gigantic proportions, 
being nearly as large as the hippopotamus. 
Family II.— MACROPIDiE. 
The Kangaroos are readily distinguished by the dis- 
proportionate bulk of the hinder parts of the body as 
compared with those in front, this feature being more 
particularly noticeable in the development of the tail 
and hinder extremities. The feet are greatly elongated 
by an extension of the metatarsal bones and digital 
phalanges, their soles being applied to the ground 
during progression. The powerful tail acts as a fifth 
limb during the slower movements of the body, and 
forms, in conjunction with the hind legs, a firm tripodal 
basis of support during the state of rest. Tlie fore 
limbs are short, pentadactylous, attenuated, and fur- 
nished with compressed curved claws, the nails of the 
hind feet being straight and tetradactylous. Speaking 
generally, the body presents a conical outline, tapering 
from below uprvards. The ears are largely developed 
and oval in shape ; but a more important character is 
Fig. 85. 
Skull of the Great Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). 
seen in the teeth — (fig. 85.) According to Professor 
Owen, there are in the normal condition of the perma- 
nent dental series six superior and two inferior incisors, 
no canines, four premolars equally divided above and 
below, and sixteen true molars, that is, four on either 
side of the upper and lower jaws. In the germs of 
Kangaroo Eats or Potoroos {Hypslprymnus) canines 
are present in the upper jaw. In the true Kangaroos 
the central incisors of the upper are not longer than 
