THE FLYING PHALANGERS. 107 
Belideus flaviventer, Lesson, Nouv. Tabl. Régne Anim., Mamm., 
p. 189 (1842). ) 
Lelideus fiaviventris, Bennett, Gatherings of a Naturalist, p. 150 
(1860). 
Characters.—Size large; fur long; nose large, naked, finely 
granulated. General colour brown, variously marked with 
orange and black ; chin and inner sides of wrists and ankles 
blackish ; remainder of under-parts deep orange. Ears long, 
narrow, naked internally, and at the tip externally, with a 
prominent yellow patch along the posterior margin. Middle 
line of back and upper surfaces of parachute dark brown; 
edges of parachute orange, except at its origin and insertion, 
where it has a broad black fringe ; feet black on upper surface. 
Length of fore toes in the order 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. Tail very long, 
bushy, grey above, inferiorly orange, darkening to black at the 
tip. Length of head and body about 12 inches; of tail 17 
’ inches. 
Distribution.—Coast ranges of New South Wales and Victoria. 
Habits—The following excellent account of the habits of this 
species is given by Bennett, who had a young example in his 
possession, which he succeeded in raising to maturity :— 
‘The animal,” this naturalist writes, ‘ from the conformation 
of its feet, is evidently intended to live in trees, and therefore, 
when seen on the ground, has a very awkward waddling gait. 
This is shown but seldom, and then only when it is obliged to 
walk upon the level surface. When climbing up a tree it be- 
comes more independent in character, and it regards the 
spectator from the top of its perch in a very different manner. 
It retires either between the forked branches or in the hollow 
cavities of the tree during the day to sleep, and at night passes 
from one to another by flying leaps, aided by its parachute-like 
membrane, descending to the ground only froin unavoidable 
