<hw>Marsupial</hw>, <i>adj</i>. See the Noun.
<hw>Marsupial</hw>, <i>n</i>. an animal in which the female has an abdominal pouch in which the young, born in a very immature state, are carried. (Lat. Marsupium = a pouch.) At the present day Marsupials are only found in America and the Australian region, the greater number being confined to the latter. See quotation 1894, Lydekker.
1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 129:
"The marsupial type exhibits the economy of nature under novel and very interesting arrangements. . . . Australia is the great head-quarters of the marsupial tribe."
1860. G. Bennett, `Gatherings of a Naturalist,' p. 5:
"I believe it was Charles Lamb who said, the peculiarity of the small fore-feet of the Kangaroo seemed to be for picking pockets; but he forgot to mention the singularity characterizing the animal kingdom of Australia, that they have pockets to be picked, being mostly marsupial. We have often amused ourselves by throwing sugar or bread into the pouch of the Kangaroo, and seen with what delight the animal has picked its own pocket, and devoured the contents, searching its bag, like a Highlander his sporran, for more."
[See <i>Kangaroo</i>, quotation 1833.]
1885. H. Finch-Hatton, `Advance Australia,' p. 106:
"An Act known as the Marsupial Act was accordingly passed to encourage their destruction, a reward of so much a scalp being offered by the Government. . . . Some of the squatters have gone to a vast expense in fencing-in their runs with marsupial fencing, but it never pays."
1890. C. Lumholtz, `Among Cannibals,' p. 29: