10 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



Remarks upon the Occurrence and Identity of PJiascologale 

 crisiicauda, KrefFt. 



The exact determination of this species is a matter of very 

 considerable difficulty. It was originally described by Mr. Kreft't 

 from a single specimen under the name of Clioetocercus cristicaudai 

 and was subsequently placed by Mr. Thomas in the genus 

 Phascologale. 



Through the kindness of Mr. Byrne I received some six adult 

 and four inunature specimens — all of them females — of what was 

 apparently a species of Phascologale, though at the same time it 

 showed in the structure of the feet more the character of a 

 Sminthopsis, rendering it a matter of some difficulty to which 

 genus, as at present desci'ibed, it should be referred. On a 

 subsequent visit to Charlotte Waters 1 obtained, also through 

 the kindness of Mr. Byrne, additional specimens, two of them 

 being males, and was able to see the animal alive. My collection 

 now includes fifteen specimens. The mature ones all agree fairly 

 closely in size with the measurements given by Mr. Kretft from his 

 single specimen of Cli. cristicauda. The dentition shows the 

 peculiarity of the latter, viz., absence of the lower /^ and tuber- 

 cular nature of the upper/*.* 



The black crest, typical of Krefi't's species, was present, but 

 diffei'ed from that described by him in being developed on the 

 ventral as well as on the dorsal surface. 



The peculiarity of the dentition, the crested tail and the 

 general measurements of the body led me to refer the animal to 

 Krefi't's species. Unfortunately Krefil did not describe the feet, 

 and the soles are distinguished by the presence of three granu- 

 lated elevations bearing pads, and not 1)y the presence of the 

 five striated pads characteristic of the genus Phascologale. In 

 relative dimensions the foot may be regarded as intei mediate 

 between the latter genus and Sminthopsis. 



Mr. J. J. Fletcher very kindly, in response to my retjuest, 

 inspected and sent me a description of the type specimen, and 

 subsequently, through the courtesy of Mr. R. Etheridge, Jun., the 

 Curator of the Sydney Museum, to whose kindness I am much 



» Krefft, P.Z.S., 18C6, and '• Mammals of Australia." 



