68 Zoological Society : — 



The species evidently depend principally on the colour of the 

 fur, which appears to be very variable in different individuals. It is 

 true that he describes and figures skulls of the different individuals ; 

 but the difference between those of Phalangista chrysorrhos and P. 

 maculata appears chiefly to depend on the age and development of 

 the specimens figured. M. Temminck and the writers of his school 

 always forget that the skull and other parts of the skeleton are 

 liable to quite as much variation from local circumstances, food, 

 and other accidental causes, as the colour of the fur or the size of 

 the animal. 



1 . In Phalangista ursina the fur is thicker and closer, and the 

 long hairs thicker than in the other species, blackish, with yellow 

 tips to the longer hairs ; and the forehead of the skull is flat. Of this 

 he had several specimens of different ages, all brought by Professor 

 Reinhardt from the northern part of Celebes, the natives of which 

 have not observed any varieties in colouring. 



2. P. chrysorrhos is described from two specimens brought home 

 by the same Professor, from some of the Moluccas, which have a short 

 cottony fur, of an ash-grey more or less black, and the rump and 

 upper part of the base of the tail golden-yellow. 



3. Of P. maculata Temminck particularly observes, that the 

 fur in all ages and in both sexes is covered with irregular white or 

 brown spots, which are paler and less marked in the young. The 

 very young are sometimes entirely ashy. They come from Banda 

 and Amboyna. 



The yellow colour of the rump and the base of the tail, as far as 

 the specimens in the British Museum show, is common to the ashy 

 specimens, which might be called P. chrysorrhos, and the variegated 

 specimens, which might be named P. maculata : it is very diffi- 

 cult to distinguish the pale-rumped ashy ones from those without 

 that mark ; but it is easy to connect the grey or ashy spotted ones 

 with either the one or the other ; and it is impossible to separate 

 the ashy-grey spotted ones from the brown or orange spotted speci- 

 mens. In one specimen the animal is nearly white, with some small 

 dark spots about an inch over ; and in another the animal is white, 

 . with red feet, and one large red spot on the middle of the back. 

 From the examination of the specimens in the British Museum, 

 and of their skulls, I am inclined to believe that the P. ursina 

 is distinct, and that P. chrysorrhos and P. maculata are varieties of 

 the same species. 



1. CUSCUS MACULATUS. 



Ears almost hidden in the fur, clothed internally and externally 

 with fur ; forehead convex ; forehead of the skull convex and rounded 

 in front ; grinders moderate ; fur ashy-grey, or white and grey, or 

 reddish, varied or spotted. Rump and base of the tail yellowish- 

 white. 



Phalanger, male, Buffon, H. N. xiii. t. 11. 



Phalangista maculata, Desm. N. D. H. N. xxv. 472 ; Temm. 



