PSEUDOCHIRUS. 29 



Dimensions. Head and body about twenty-three inches ; tail 

 about fifteen inches. 



Habitat. Tasmania. 



References. Thomas, B. M. Catal. p. 190 ; Gould, Mamm. 

 Austr. i. pi. xv. 



Genus IV. PSEUDOCHIRUS, W. Ogilby (1836). 



Size large or medium. Fur short and rather woolly. Ears 

 medium or short, hairy behind. Flanks without flying membrane. 

 Fore toes subequal, the two inner ones markedly opposable to the 

 outer three, their relative lengths as follows 4, 3, 5, 2, 1. 

 Claws moderate. Palms and soles naked, with large rounded 

 and striated pads. Tail long and tapering ; its tip naked under- 

 neath for a varying distance; markedly prehensile. Mammas 

 four. 



n .-,- T 1.2.3 or n lorO -r> 1.0.3.4 -n/r 1.2.3.4 -, * -, . 



Dentition. I. ^-^ , C. g , P. fy^, M. j^ =15 or 17 + 



(at most) 3 x 2 = 36 or 40. 



Habits. Arboreal ; phytophagous. 



1. PSEUDOCHIRUS ARCHERI, Collett, sp. (1884). 

 Archer's Opossum. ' Tula ' of the Aborigines. 



Size moderate. Fur soft, close, and thick. General color above 

 grizzled grayish-green ; below, chin grayish-white, remainder pure 

 white. A distinct pale yellow spot both above and below the 

 eyes. Ears very short, broader than long, rounded, their posterior 

 edges and a spot beneath their bases white. A black central 

 line on the nape and back ; two indistinctly dark-edged whitish 

 lines bordering the central line. Distal third of tail white. 

 Naked part beneath tip less than half the length of tail. 



Dimensions. Head and body about fourteen inches ; tail about 

 thirteen inches. 



Habitat. Herbert River District, Queensland. 



References. Thomas, B.M. Catal. p. 177 ; Collett, P.Z.S. 1884, 

 p. 381, pi. xxix. 



2. PSEUDOCHIRUS COOKI, Desmarest, sp. (1817). 



Tasmanian Ring-tailed Opossum. 



Size moderate. Fur very thick, close, and -woolly. General 

 color above dark smoky-brown ; below white. Ears large, rounded, 

 the anterior part of the back brown, the posterior margin 

 generally white. Hands and feet dark brown or black. Tail 

 dark brown, the distal two to four inches white ; the naked part 

 below smooth, from three to five inches long. 



