40 Mr. J. E. Gray on tivo neiv species 



The animal referred to above would not only have proved 

 a new species, but a hitherto undescribed genus, if it had 

 arrived two weeks sooner ; for at the last meeting of the Zoo- 

 logical Society, M. Paul Gervais, one of the assistants in the 

 zoological collection of the Garden of Plants at Paris, on my 

 recommendation, described the genus to which it appears to 

 belong, judging from the figures of the skull and teeth which 

 alone he had with him, under the name of Tarsipes, being 

 doubtful if it belonged to the ^amWy oi Didelphidce or Lemurida. 

 The account of this genus has not yet been pviblished ; but 

 as on my showing M. Gervais the specimens, he observed 

 that it evidently belonged to his genus, though it appeared 

 to be a second species of it, I shall in courtesy use the generic 

 name he has given. 



Tarsipes, Gervais MSS. Didelphida, Sect. Phalangistina. 



Head elongate, tapering, slender. Ears large, hairy. Body mouse- 

 like. Tail elongate, cylindrical, tapering to a fine point, covered with 

 close-set, short, bristly hair, covering rings of squarish scales. Legs 

 short. Toes five, free, callous beneath, dilated at the tips, and with 

 very small acute claws ; the inner and outer front toes subequal ; the 

 three middle ones larger, nearly equal. The thumb of the hind-feet 

 elongate ; the index finger short, only reaching to the first joint ; the 

 two outer fingers larger and nearly equal. Scrotum very large, 

 pendent, hairy. The cutting teeth, upper very small; the lower very 

 long, lying down horizontally and j^rojecting in front, subulate, 

 transparent. The canines and grinders very small. 



This animal has a resemblance to some of the smaller 

 Lemurs in the form of the claws, in the shortness of the index 

 finger, and in the position and form of the lower cutting teeth. 

 It is much more nearly allied to the Phalangista, and is easily 

 known fi'om them by the length and slenderness of the lower 

 cutting teeth and the rudimentary nature of the other teeth. 



Tarsipes Spenserce. 



Blackish gray ; back with a longitudinal black streak to the base 

 of the tail and a brown stripe on each side ; beneath pale bay, darker 

 on the sides, where it unites to the graj^ of the sides, and especially 

 over the outside of the limbs. Face blackish gray ; forehead du.sky 

 brown; cheeks pale brownish. Ears rounded, with scattered short 

 brown hairs ; whiskers black. 



Inhab. the scrub. King George's Sound. 



Length of the body, 3^ inches ; of tail, 3 ; of hind-feet, ^ ; of 

 head, li. 



I have named this species after the maiden name of the 

 lady of Capt. Grey, who for many years resided in the north 

 part of New Holland with her father Capt. Spenser, and who 



