6 OLDFIELD THOMAS 



orbital region ; the colour of the male more as in the female 

 of that species. 



Fur thick and close, of normal length. General colour above 

 uniform chocolate brown, darker along the middle line of 

 the back, but without a defined dorsal line. The head, ears, 

 arms and legs, sides, chin, and furry part of tail are all 

 of the same uniform brown. Undersurface from interi-amia 

 backwards, and inner sides of arms and thighs pure sharply 

 defined white, the hairs white to their roots. Ears well haired 

 outside, practically to their margins. Furry part of tail very 

 long, decidedly more than half its length above. 



Skull, as compared with that of a typical Ph. orientalis, 

 considerably smaller and w'ith the interorbital region evenly 

 narrowing backwards, its edges sharp, but not overhanging, or 

 forming postorbital processes. Canines small, scarcely longer than 

 the posterior premolar, pressed closely against the hinder side 

 of i 3 . Anterior premolar small, middle minute and posterior of 

 median size. Molars on the other hand very large and heavy. 



Dimensions of an old male specimen, measured in skin : 



Head and body 440 mm.; tail 435 ; furry part of tail above 240. 



Skull, basal length (c) 73; greatest breadth 52; nasals 29 X 14; 

 least breadth of constriction 8.8; diagonal horizontal diameter 

 of last upper premolar 5.0, of last lower premolar 4.7 : com- 

 bined length of ms 1-3 16.7. 



Hab. Mountainous part of the Vanapa River, British New 

 Guinea. Coll. Dr. L. Loria. 



If the dark colour of this Phalanger proves to lie constant 

 — and Dr. Loria's three specimens are quite alike — that 

 character alone would separate it from any other Cuscus excepl 

 the dark race of Ph. breviceps, in which however the somewhal 

 similar dark colour is not constant (*). But in any case its 

 small skull, peculiar interorbital region and the length of the 

 furry part of its tail distinguish /'//. carmelitae from any of its 



.lilies. 



' -re Cat. Mars. P.. M. |>. 204, 1888. 



