148 



MARSUPIALIA 



out laterally, owing to the numerous air-cells situated in the 

 substance of the squamosal. 



The Phalangers are interesting from an historical point of 

 view, since the Gray Cuscus (Phalanger orientalis) was the first of 

 the Marsupials of the eastern hemisphere brought to the notice of 

 Europeans, having been described in a work published at Leyden 

 in 1611, from an account of a specimen seen at Amboyna during 

 the third expedition of Admiral Van der Hagen. 



The present family corresponds to the Dasyuridce among the 



Fig. 46. — Tarsipes rostratus. From GouM. 



Polyprotodonts as presenting, on the whole, the most generalised 

 types of the suborder. The existing forms may be divided into 

 three subfamilies. 



Subfamily Tarsipedinse. — Cheek-teeth almost rudimentary and 

 variable in number. Tongue long, slender, pointed, and very ex- 

 tensile. Tail long. Caecum absent. 



Tarsipes. 1 — So named from some supposed resemblance of its 

 foot to that of the Lemurine genus Tarsivs; but it must be remarked 

 that it has none of the peculiar elongation of the calcaneum and 



navicular so characteristic of that genus. 



Head with elongated 



1 Gervais and Verraux, Proc. Zool. Soc. 1842, p. 1. 



