THE PHALANGER TRIBE 1431 



teeth distinctly crescent shaped; thus simulating those of the ancestors of the Rumi- 

 nant Ungulates. 



These phalangers inhabit Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea, and are di- 

 vided into two groups each containing five species. In the first group, as represented 

 by the Herbert river phalanger (Pseudochirus herbertensis} , and the widely-spread 

 ring-tailed phalanger (P. peregrmus), first discovered by Captain Cook, the ears are 

 of medium length, and longer than broad, while the tail is tipped with white. This 

 group is confined to Australia and Tasmania. In the second group, on the other 

 hand, the ears are very short, and wider than long; while, with one exception, the 

 tail is not white at the tip. The exceptional species is Archer's phalanger (P. 

 arckeri), of Queensland, which is the only representative of the group found of New 

 Guinea. Consequently, all the Australian crescent-toothed phalangers are distin- 

 guished from those of Papua by their white tail tips. 



The flying representatives of this family belong to three groups, sev- 

 e phal n^er era ^ y allied to as many nonvolant types. The largest of these forms 

 is the great or taguan flying phalanger (Petauroides volans}, of Queens- 

 land and Victoria, which is the sole representative of its genus, and appears, indeed, 

 to be nothing more than a cresent- toothed phalanger which has acquired a flying 

 membrane; being like it in skull and teeth, while the tail, which is prehensile, is 

 similarly naked on the under surface of the tip. The flying membrane extends from 

 the wrist to the ankle, but is reduced to a narrow strip on the fore-arm and lower 

 leg. In size this species may measure as much as twenty inches to the root of the 

 tail. It is characterized by its large and thickly-haired ears and long silky coat; its 

 general color being blackish brown with white beneath. 



The striped phalanger (Dadylopsila trivirgata ) , ranging from New 

 "phalan er ^ u ^ nea to Queensland, together with a second Papuan species (D.pal- 

 pator], represent a nonflying genus, agreeing with the last two in 

 having the under surface of the tip of the tail naked, but distinguished by having 

 the fourth toe of the fore-foot much longer than either of the others. These pha- 

 langers, which are of medium size, are, moreover, easily distinguished from their 

 kindred by the back being ornamented with broad, longitudinal stripes of black and 

 white. Although nothing definite is known as to their habits, it is probable that 

 the elongated fourth digit of the fore-paw is for the purpose of extracting insects 

 and grubs from beneath the bark, or out of holes in trees. 



The true flying phalangers (Petaurus}, of which there are two ex- 

 True Flying , . , . 



Phalaneers c l uslve ly Australian species, and one common to Australia and New 



Guinea, are small or medium-sized forms, closely allied to Leadbeater's 

 phalanger, noticed below. They are readily distinguished from the preceding groups 

 by the tail being evenly bushy to its extreme tip, without any naked portion, and 

 not prehensile. The flying membrane is broad, and extends from the outermost toe 

 of the fore-foot to the ankle. The best-known species is the squirrel flying pha- 

 langer {Petaurus sdureus) the sugar squirrel of the colonists which is the one 

 represented in our illustration. It is confined to Eastern Australia. The length of 

 the head and body in this pretty little animal is about nine inches, and that of the tail 

 rather more. The ears are of medium length, the tail extremely bushy, especially 



