MARSUPIALIA. 129 



very small lower ones, of which we have just spoken. Their tail is 

 always prehensile. 



The tail in some of them is in a great measure scaly. They live 

 on trees in the Moluccas, where they feed on Insects and fruit. At 

 the sight of a man they suspend themselves by their tail ; and if he 

 gaze at them steadily for some time, they fall through lassitude. 

 They diffuse a very unpleasant odour, notwithstanding which their 

 flesh is eaten. 



There are several of them known, of various sizes and colours, 

 all of which are embraced under the Bidelphis orientalis of Lin- 

 naeus. M. Temminck thinks he can separate them into species 

 as follows : Ph. ursina, T. (The Ursine Phalanger.) Nearly 

 the size of the civet ; fur close, and of a blackish-brown ; the 

 young ones a fawn-coloured brown. From the woods of the 

 island of Macassar. 



Ph. chrysorrhoKS, T. (The Golden-cruppered Phalanger.) 

 Size of a large Cat ; fur of an ash brown ; white beneath j a 

 golden fawn colour on the croup. From the Moluccas. 



Ph. maculata, T. ; Buff. XIII, pi. ii; Voy. de Freycin. pi. vii; 

 Voy. du Duperr. pi. iv. (The Spotted Phalanger.) Size of a 

 Cat ; whitish, irregularly spotted or marbled with brown. 



Ph. cavifrons, T. ; Buff. pi. x, the female; and Voy. de Du- 

 perrey, the male. (The Hollow-fronted Phalanger.) The male 

 white J the female fawn coloured, with a brown stripe along the 

 back. To these we must add 



Ph. Quoy, Voy. de Freycin. pi. vi. (The Quoy Phalanger.) 



A greyish-brown ; a blackish-brown longitudinal band on the 



croup ; top of the head a cinnamon-red ; cheeks, throat and 



breast white.(l) 



In others, which have hitherto been found in New Holland only, 



the tail is hairy to the tip. 



Ph. vulpina; Lid. lemurina and viilpina, Shaw; Bruno of Vicq. 

 d'Az.; White, Voy. 278. (The Fox-like Phalanger.) Size of a 

 stout Cat ; greyish-brown, paler beneath ; tail nearly all black. 

 Pli. Cookii, Cook's last Voy. pi. viii. (The Phalanger of 

 Cook.) Less than a Cat ; brown above, white underneath ; head 

 and flanks red ; posterior third of the tail white. 



Ph. Boiigainvillii. (The Phalanger of Bougainville.) Size of 

 a Squirrel ; ash coloured above, white underneath ; the poste- 

 rior half of the tail black ; posterior half of the ear white. (2) 



(1) A very distinct species. 



(2) A new species broug-ht to France by M. de Boug-ainville from his last expedi- 

 tion. 



Vol. I.~R 



