| > | | | | water like a fish, it has a bill like a duck's, the male |
| The animals that the early settler; found in | | | | has fighting spurs on his back feet, and the |
| Australia looked very strange to them. They saw | | | | female nurses her young as a dog or cat does |
| none of the animals that they had known in | | | | but she lays eggs that hatch like the eggs of a |
| England. Instead they saw strange animals they | | | | bird or a fish. This is an animal that has never |
| had never seen or heard of before. There was a | | | | been found anywhere except in Australia. The |
| tall animal with short front legs and very long hind | | | | native Australian dog was strange to the British, |
| legs, and a thick, long tail. It was a kangaroo. It | | | | too. It is called a dingo, and it is quite different |
| moves very fast over the ground by taking long | | | | from dogs in England. It is a wild dog, however, |
| jumps with the back legs. | | | | not a wolf nor a fox, as many of the |
| The animals that the early settler; found in | | | | earlysettlers thought at first. Another animal that |
| Australia looked very strange to them. They saw | | | | had never been seen anywhere else was the |
| none of the animals that they had known in | | | | koala bear, a fluffy little animal that looks like a |
| England. Instead they saw strange animals they | | | | living model of a toy teddy bear. It is very |
| had never seen or heard of before. There was a | | | | friendly. Although people in many parts of the |
| tall animal with short front legs and very long hind | | | | world have said they would like to have koala |
| legs, and a thick, long tail. It was a kangaroo. It | | | | bears for pets, it is difficult, because the only |
| moves very fast over the ground by taking long | | | | food the koala eats is eucalyptus leaves, and the |
| jumps with the back legs. The mother kangaroo | | | | eucalyptus tree grows mostly in Australia. |
| carries her baby in a big pocket on the front of | | | | There are other strange animals in Australia, |
| her body. This kind of animal is called a marsupial. | | | | which can be found nowhere else. The spiny |
| There are other marsupials in Australia. The | | | | anteater is one. This is a long-nosed animal with |
| wallaby is one. It is very much like a kangaroo, | | | | spines all over its body. It lives on a diet of ants. |
| but smaller. The Australian opossum is another | | | | Its scientific name'is the echidna. As remarkable as |
| marsupial. Even more strange was the platypus, | | | | the echidna is the wombat, a large animal that |
| or duck-billed water mole. | | | | digs in the ground to find the roots on which it |
| This is a strange mixture of a bird, a fish, and a | | | | lives. The wombat sometimes reaches a weight |
| four-footed animal. Scientists ever since have | | | | of nearly a hundred pounds. The trees and plants |
| agreed that it is most remarkable. It swims in the | | | | of Australia were strange to the early settlers. |