PETAURUS PYGM^US. 203 



mal. As these observations so perfectly apply to our 

 present animal, there can scarcely be a doubt that it 

 is it which is referred to, and if so, we have additional 

 reasons for believing P. breviceps distinct from P. 

 sciureus. In the Catalogue referred to, the habitat 

 of the animal mentioned is " Scrubs near Hunter's 

 River." The specimen from which the above de- 

 scription is taken, and which is now in the Museum 

 of the Zoological Society, is also from the neighbour- 

 hood of Hunter's River, and was sent to this country 

 by Charles Coxen, Esq., who is given as the donor of 

 the specimen in the Australian Museum. 



There are reasons to doubt that the P. breviceps is 

 identical with the P. Peronii of Desmarest : see the 

 observations accompanying the description of that 

 species. 



SUBGBNUS 3. 



Acrobata. 

 PIGMY PETAURUS. 



Petaurus pygmceus. 



PLATE XXX. 

 Didelphis pygma&&,Shaw. Zoology of New Holland Tab. 2, p. 5. 



Ears rather small, somewhat sparingly furnished 

 with long pale hairs on the inner side; the outer side 

 is also furnished with longish pale yellowish hairs, at 

 the base they are covered by fur like that of the 

 head, and of a blackish colour, excepting near the 



