38 



THE GEOGRAPHY OF MAMMALS 



Papuan Sub-region. One of these is Distoechurus, a small 

 mouse-like animal belonging to the family of Phalangers, 

 and remarkable for its long tail, which bears at its tip a 

 double row of hairs on either side, and thus resembles a 

 feather. The other genus is Dorcopsis, containing three 

 species of animals somewhat nearly allied to the true 



Fig. 6.— The Papuan Echidna. 



(Proechidna bruijni.) 



Kangaroos. A third genus (Dendrolagus), containing 

 Kangaroos specially modified for arboreal life, was formerly 

 supposed to be peculiar to New Guinea. But a species of 

 the same form, as already mentioned, has been ascertained 

 of late years to exist in Northern Queensland also, thus 

 giving further proof of the close alliance of the Papuan 

 and Austral mammal-faunas. 



