﻿THE CUSCUSES. 8l 



family under consideration is typically represented by the 

 Cuscuses, and may be characterised as follows : — 



Tail well-developed, generally prehensile ; muzzle short and 

 broad ; tongue not extensile ; no cheek-pouches ; intestine 

 provided with a large blind appendage or caecum ; stomach 

 simple ; teeth large. 



In the genus Phalanger itself we find the following features 

 distinctive : Size large or medium ; form stout ; fur thick and 

 woolly ; ears moderate or short. Front toes sub-equal, their 

 relative lengths in the order 4, 3, 5, 2, i ; claws long, stout, 

 and curved ; soles of feet naked and striated, with large ill- 

 defined pads. Tail strong, with its terminal portion naked, 

 smooth or granulated, and prehensile. Teats four. 



Of the five species of Cuscuses, one is common to Northern 

 Australia, New Guinea, and the Austro-Maylayan Islands, 

 while the others are restricted to the two latter regions, ranging 

 as far westwards as Celebes. Completely arboreal and mainly 

 herbivorous in their habits, the Cuscuses are slow and sleepy 

 animals, passing the day curled up among the foliage, and only 

 waking into activity with the approach of night. The diiferent 

 species present a great amount of variation as regards size, colour, 

 and dentition, and are therefore not always easy to determine. 



I. BLACK CUSCUS. PHALANGER URSINUS. 



Phalangista ursina, Temminck, Monogr. Mamm., vol. i., p. 10 



(1827). 

 Cuscus ur sinus ^ Lesson, Man. Mamm, p. 219 (1827). 

 Fhalanger ursinus, Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 195 



(1888). 



Sexes similar ; fur coarse and harsh ; general colour dark 

 brown or black. Nose naked, with the bare portion extending 

 in a wedge-shaped form up the muzzle nearly to the level of 



