J"J,''^] Booth, A Flying Phalangev. 49 



ABOUT " PET PETER," A FLYING PHALANGER. 



By J. Booth, M.C.E., B.Sc. 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, 12th May, 191 9.) 



Some workmen felling gum-trees near Croydon found and 

 secured a small furry animal, which they brought up to the 

 house and gave into the care of the housekeeper. She placed 

 the little creature in a box crowded with fresh gum leaves, and 

 fed it on bread soaked in milk and plastered with sugar. The 

 men were first interested, then experimental, and later some- 

 what annoying to the little animal ; and though it had become 

 very friendly with the housekeeper, on whose shoulder it 

 would perch, and hide in her dress, she decided to send it away 

 from its tormentors, and asked me to take it home with me. 

 This I was very pleased to do, and " Pet Peter " remained 

 with us in Hawthorn till the day of his death. 



" Pet Peter " was a phalanger — the Lesser Flying Phalanger 

 — genus Petaurus, species hreviceps, Waterhouse, of the group 

 Phalangeridae of the order Diprotodontia in the sub-class 

 Metatheria of the Mammalia. Hence our pet was a climbing 

 marsupial, with fore and hind feet prehensile, with an opposable 

 thumb and prehensile tail, and had also " lateral folds of skin 

 extending from fore to hind limbs " which act " as a parachute,"* 

 and with a proper supply of diprotodont teeth. 



On arrival home " Pet Peter " was put in a large deal box 

 and provided with plenty of gum leaves ; but gum leaves were 

 not very readily obtainable, and seemed to be but little valued 

 by " Pet Peter," and gradually they were discontinued, and 

 a smaller box, with straw and pieces of cloth, substituted to 

 provide warmth, shelter, and retreat. He quite approved, 

 and was fond of both the larger and the interior box. Later 

 he was removed to a wire-net cage or room, 6 x 4 x 10 feet 

 high, overgrown with Virginia and other creepers. Here he 

 lived while life lasted. He is now in the possession of the 

 National Museum, and by the kindness of the Curator, Mr. 

 J. A. Kershaw, F.ES., he or one of his kind is on the table 

 here this evening. 



Being a nocturnal animal, his periods of activity, and so 

 opportunity for observation, did not coincide with ours, and 

 only overlapped by an hour or so in the evening. In these 

 hours he was often introduced to the family, and allowed at 

 large in the house. He rarely left the room in which he was 

 set free, and showed no tendency to abscond. He treated us 

 to very few demonstrations of " flying," although we have 

 seen some fairly long " jumps." But his climbing powers 



* Parker and Haswell, " Text Book of Zoology," ii., p. 468. 



