24 
MAMMALIA. 
their lives chiefly in the mangrove swamps that fringe the shores 
of parts of that great island, which are under water at high tide, 
the Tree Kangaroos traversing the branches of the mangroves 
with facility and speed. 
Certain fossil animals, of enormous size, have been discovered in 
the hone-caves, &c., of Australia, which are proved to have been 
gigantic Marsupials. Among them the Diprotodon Australis was 
even larger than a Rhinoceros, although akin to the Kangaroos. 
The Nototherium inerme and N. Mitchelli were equally stupendous 
marsupial animals which were probably allied to the Koala, or 
perhaps to the Wombats. The Thylacoleo was at first supposed to 
have been a huge marsupial carnivore, but opinions are at present 
divided as to the exact affinity of this great fossil beast, which has 
become exterminated within comparatively recent times. 
Phalangers . — In some of their characteristics, in their general 
form, and in their mode of life, the creatures belonging to the genus 
Phalanger bear a certain resemblance to Monkeys and Lemurs. 
They have the great toe of their posterior members opposable to 
their other toes, and without any nail ; in the majority of these 
animals the tail is prehensile, as in some of the Monkeys of 
America. They inhabit forests, climb trees with moderate agility, 
and feed on fruits, to which they sometimes add birds’ eggs and 
insects. They are hunted and eaten, although they diffuse an 
unpleasant odour. Their size is either middling or small. 
They are divided into three groups : the Koala, the Phalangers 
properly so called, and the Petaurists. 
The Koala is characterised by a total absence of tail. Only 
one species is known. It is often designated by the colonists the 
native Bear, and is said to feed exclusively on green foliage, 
though probably also on fruits. All efforts to bring it alive to 
Europe have failed hitherto (Fig. 7). 
The true Phalangers have the tail prehensile ; some of them 
are termed Couscous, which inhabit those islands of the Great 
Eastern Archipelago that are included in the Australian region. 
Fig. 8 represents the Sooty Phalanger. Lastly, the Petaurists, 
or Flying Phalangers, are provided with a parachute membrane 
between their flanks, and support themselves in the air after the 
manner of the Flying Squirrels. These species differ much in size. 
Tarsipedes and Bandacoots . — There is little to be said about 
