JUfV 9 1899 



DESCRIPTION OF a RING-TAILED OPOSSUM, 



REGARDED AS A VARIETY OF 



PSEUDOCHIRUS HERBERTENSIS, COLLETT. 

 By Edgar R. Waite, F.L.S., Zoologist. 



Having recently had occasion to overhaul our duplicate collection 

 of Marsupials, my attention was arrested by a number of specimens 

 labelled Fseudochirus herhertensis. Out of twenty-two examples, 

 seventeen were undoubtedly of this species, but the remainder 

 presented some differences. I therefore consulted Mr. Robert 

 Grant, by whom the Herbert River animals were procured. 

 Unhesitatingly picking out the five forms I had marked, he told 

 me that he was convinced that they were quite distinct from the 

 "Outas" (P. herhertensis), and had so reported when unpacking 

 the collection in 1889. 



The following notes are supplied to me by Mr. Grant : — 

 Although found in the same district as P. herhertensis and P. 

 lemuroides, the smaller and much rarer animal was obtained 

 within a comparatively limited area, the exact locality being 

 known as the Boar Pocket, on the Tinaroo track, near Cairns, 

 Queensland (or, in the language of the blacks, " Wamarama Riga- 

 rami"). This spot lies low, and is swampy. P. herhertensis, although 

 obtained on the outskirts of the swamp, is an inhabitant of the 

 higher land and ascends to the tops of tallest trees, while the 

 swamp animal is not a high climber, and several of them were 

 found in the Davidsonia plum tree ( D. jn'uriens, F. v. M.) 



Another interesting fact is that this animal builds a nest or drey 

 not unlike that of the common Ring-tailed 0'possnux{P. pereg7'inus), 

 but more ball-like in shape. In passing it may be mentioned that 

 this latter species generally builds its nest near to creeks or in moist 

 gullies. P. herhertensis never builds a nest, so the natives say. 



The blacks instantly recognised the animal as distinct and 

 called it " Moki poki." Mr. Grant would throw upon the ground 

 a few examples of P. herhertensis, which the blacks would at once 

 name " Outa." One of the swamp forms would next be cast down, 

 when they would laugh and remark, " No more ' Outa,' — ' Moki 

 poki.' " 



Although smaller than the " Outa," the animals obtained were 

 fully adult, as our collector took young ones from the pouches of 

 the females. 



