Mr. ^ELL on a new Species of Phalangista. 125 



zoologist, has this very obvious character : " les oreilles sont 

 arrondies et couvertes de polls." 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. nana, for instance, being 

 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. Diet. d'Hist. Nat. xxv.477. — Desmar. Mamm. p. 268. 



F. Cuvier, Diet, 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 



