In Australia a little animal named a phalanger, or fingered animal, is called an opossum, and, indeed, closely resembles the real opossums, though it is of a different family. Its size, pouch, and general habits might lead it to be mistaken for one of the opossum tribe. Many of these phalangers have the skin stretched as we see it in a flying squirrel, on each side the body between the front and hind-legs. Extending this as they spring from tree to tree, they are up-borne and can make enormous leaps. One of these flying-squirrel phalangers is often called “the most beautiful of all mammals”; its shape is so graceful, its fur so rich, and its tail so long and handsome. Another phalanger is called the _acrobat_, on account of its wonderful jumping: it is smaller than a mouse, and lives daintily upon honey and certain honey-seeking insects; thus its appetite offers a strong contrast to that of the greedy opossum. FOOTNOTES: [53] The chart which serves as frontispiece should be often consulted to fix these periods in the pupil’s mind. LESSON XXV. A NEW FASHION OF PAPPOOSE. “Still this great solitude is quick with life; Myriads of insects, gaudy as the flowers They flutter over, gentle quadrupeds, And birds, that scarce have learned the fear of man Are here, and sliding reptiles underground.” --BRYANT. The opossum was chosen as the first representative of the pouched animals, not because it is the most remarkable, but because it is the best known, and because living specimens of it may be easily obtained if desired. In our study of the opossum we spoke of Australian animals, because the opossum has its kinship with the quadrupeds of that great island continent. Australia is the country of ancient forms of animal life, and most of its quadrupeds are marsupials. Zoologists have wondered why the types of animal life in Australia are so few and so ancient, and have endeavored to find the explanation of these facts in considering that during many geological ages Australia has been divided, as it now is, from the Asiatic continent and that the great series of creatures which have arisen since that division took place, including all the higher mammals, never reached Australia, until recently introduced by Europeans. Thus, as the stronger and more dominant creatures did not appear to disturb or displace them, there was nothing to hinder the continuous development of pouched forms; and families became permanent which in more crowded localities have been forced out of existence. [Illustration: A QUEER PAPPOOSE.] Chief among all the Australian marsupials stands the kangaroo. This is really a beautiful animal; wonderful in its structure, interesting in its habits; amiable, and gentle, yet courageous in disposition; readily acclimated when carried to other countries; capable of being tamed, and finally, with flesh as useful and agreeable for food as beef or mutton.