82 LLOYD’S NATURAL HISTORY. 
the eye. Face blackish, with the hairs tipped with dirty white, |) 
and a whitish patch round the eye; ears short and rounded, | 
thickly covered with short, coarse hairs, which are dirty white , 
internally and on the edges, and black on the outside. Chin 
and under-parts greyish, with the hairs black at the base, and ) 
dirty yellowish-white at the tip. Limbs black; toes naked ) 
above; soles of feet broadly striated. Tail furry like the body 
for about half its length, the hair extending two or three inches | 
further on the upper than on the lower surface. Somewhat } 
larger than the next species, with a proportionately longer tail. ¥ 
Distribution.—Celebes. 
Habits.—Like the other species of the genus, this Cuscus ,/ 
lives mainly upon the leaves of trees, of which it consumes, 
large quantities. Although its movements are slow, the, 
animal is difficult to kill, owing to the denseness of its soft, 
thick fur, which deadens the effect of a charge of shot, and, 
also to its extreme tenacity of life, which is said to be so great, 
that even a fracture of the spine or a perforation of the brain 
will often not prove fatal for many hours. By the natives, 
of the islands which they inhabit the flesh of all the species of 
Cuscus is much esteemed as food; and Mr. Wallace relates an 
instance of the great difficulty which he experienced in obtaining, 
a fine specimen of one of the species, until he found out tha | 
by promising to restore the body he would be readily permittec} 
to retain the skin. Many of these animals are taken by the 
natives, who climb after them among the branches, where; 
from their slow motions, they are easily made prisoners. Ak 
exhale a strong odour, which in some instances is stated to bé 
SO powerful as to permeate the whole woods in which they dwelk; 
Il. SPOTTED CUSCUS. PHALANGER MACULATUS. 
Phalangista maculata, Geoffr., Cat. Mus., p. 149 (1803). 
