Mr. BzLr on a néw Species of Phalangista. 125 
zoologist, has this very obvious character: **les oreilles sont 
arrondies et couvertes de poils." Now in the specimen from 
which the present description is given, the ears are so absolutely 
naked that not even with a lens can the slightest hairiness be. 
discovered on them. ‘This very marked distinction renders it 
the less necessary for me to dwell upon the minor differences 
of colour; the under part of Ph. ana, for instance, = 
white, that of our species a yellowish-gray *. 
Two specimens of this beautiful animal are now living in the 
possession of my friend Mr. Morgan, to whose kindness I am 
indebted for permission to lay the present account before this 
Society. He received them from New Holland, according to 
the declaration of the person who brought them to England, 
but from what part was not stated. 
In their habits they are extremely like the dormouse, feeding 
on nuts and other similar food, which they hold in their fore 
paws, using them as hands. ‘They are nocturnal, remaining 
asleep during the whole of the day, or, if disturbed, not easily 
roused to a state of activity ; and coming forth late in the even- 
ing, and then assuming their natural rapid and vivacious habits. 
They run about a small tree which is placed in their cage, using 
their paws to hold by the branches, and assisting themselves by 
their prehensile tail, which is always held in readiness to sup- 
port them, especially when in a descending attitude. Sometimes 
the tail is thrown in a reversed direction, turned over the back ; 
and at other times, when the weather is cold, it is rolled closely 
up towards the under part, and coiled almost between the thighs. 
When eating they sit up on their hind quarters, holding the 
* See Desmarest, Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat. xxv. 477.— Desmar. Mamm. p. 968.— 
F. Cuvier, Dict. des Sc. Nat. xxxix. 415.—Temminck, Monog. Mamm. 9. The first 
reference appears to be the original one, and the others either taken from that or from 
the specimen which formed the subject of it. 
food 
