92 RECOKDS OF TUB AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



For reasons hereafter given, I do not feel justified in regarding 

 this animal as a distinct species, although in view of its peculiarities 

 of fur, tail, and habit, it may ultimately be deemed worthy of 

 specific rank. At present I prefer to regard it as a well-marked 

 variety of jP. herhertensis, and deserving of at least a varietal 

 name. I have, therefore, much pleasure in associating with it the 

 name of Dr. Robert Collett, of Christiania, whose researches into 

 the fauna of Australia, and of the genus Pseudocltirus in particular, 

 are well known. 



This form will therefore be known as : — 



PSEUDOCHIRUS HERBEBTENSIS, var. COLLETTI. 



Animal smaller. Fur markedly longer, less wavy, much finer 

 and softer to the touch than in the typical form. Much greyer 

 and darker in colour, the hairs behind the shoulders being usually 

 tipped with white or pale yellow ; the rump and coloured portion 

 of the tail black. The ears are rich rufous without and the chin 

 is grey. The naked portion beneath the tail is smooth, not 

 sharply defined from the hairy part and of less extent than in the 

 typical race. 



The dimensions of five animals are as follows : — 



A. B. C. D. E. 



Head and body ... 320 320 300 290 260 mm. 



Tail 310 310 290 280 245 mm. 



Skull.- — Excepting for its relatively smaller size, the skull 

 scarcely differs from typical examples, and mainly for this reason 

 I hesitate to accord the form more than varietal rank. It may 

 be noticed, however, that the facial index is higher than that of 

 jP. herhertensis, as determined by Thomas.* 



The principal skull dimensions are as follows :- 



mm. 



Basal length 624 



Greatest breadth ... ... ... ... 35-6 



Nasals, length 23-8 



,, greatest breadth ... ... ... 8*5 



„ least breadth ... ... ... 3'7 



Constriction, breadth ... ... ... 7 4 



Palate, length ... ... ... ... 37*9 



„ breadth outside Jlf " 18-2 



inside M 2 12-1 



Palatal foramen ... ... ... ... 5-4 



Basi-cranial axis ... ... ... ... 21 "2 



Basi-facial axis ... ... ... ... 4 10 



Facial index ... ... ... ... 193 



* Thomas— Brit. Mus. Cat. Marsup., 1888, p. 185. 



