. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. The 'Possum, slaughtered in millions for its valuable fur, is representative of the tree, climbing types. Photo from Life—-G. C. Cluttoii. PARALLELISM IN DEVELOPMENT. In other lands the various life spheres are occupied by distinct orders of mam- mals; thus the grass-eating mammals form one order, the flesh-eaters another. But in Australia the single marsupialj or- der has been adapt- ed in the most mar- vellous manner for the most diverse roles, so that the distinct orders of the old world are parelleled in Aus- tralia by various modification
. The Australian Museum magazine. Natural history. The 'Possum, slaughtered in millions for its valuable fur, is representative of the tree, climbing types. Photo from Life—-G. C. Cluttoii. PARALLELISM IN DEVELOPMENT. In other lands the various life spheres are occupied by distinct orders of mam- mals; thus the grass-eating mammals form one order, the flesh-eaters another. But in Australia the single marsupialj or- der has been adapt- ed in the most mar- vellous manner for the most diverse roles, so that the distinct orders of the old world are parelleled in Aus- tralia by various modifications of the one order available. Thus the kangaroos and wallabies may be regarded as the Australian repre- sentatives of grass- eaters such as the hoofed mammals, while the native cats, Tasmanian de- vil, and Tasmanian wolf parallel the cats, dogs, and bears of other countries. Animals which have similar modes of life develop a similarity in form; no better example of this can be instanced than the striking resemblance in outward form l)etween a whale and a fish. Now when we compare marsupials with paral- lel forms among placental mammals we find some very remarkable resemlilances, as is clearly indicated by the names given to the native fauna of Australia Ijy the early settlers, who were so struck ])y their similarity to the animals with which they had been familiar at home. The marsupial mouse so strongly re- seml)les the common house mouse in out- ward appearance that it seemed per- fectly natural to regard the two as close relatives. Yet the common mouse is a placental, and is more closely related to the giraffe than to the marsupial mouse, wliicli, on the other hand, is a near re- lative of the kangaroo and the native liear, as is clearly seen from its skeletal and anatomical features. So the Tas- manian Avolf presents a strong similar- ity to the northern Avolf, because its mode of life and method of procuring and dealing with food is the same, yet in its internal structur
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1920, booksubjectnaturalhistory, booky
