at 



513 



There are several species of Phalangcrs in 

 Australia, belonging to the genera Phalan- 

 gista, Dromicia, and Ilepoona. They are 



particularly organized for living in trees. 

 In Mr. Gould's works on the Quadrupeds of 

 Australia, descriptions and figures of all the 

 species will be found. 



PIIALANGID^E. The name of a fninily 

 of Arachnh/cti, called Harvest-men, or Shep- 

 herd-Spiders. They have two thread-like 

 palpi, terminated by a small hook ; the legs 

 are long and slender, the tarsi consisting 

 of more than fifty joints. The majority of 

 them live upon the ground, upon plants, or 

 at the roots of trees, and are very active : 

 others, less agile, hide themselves between 

 stones, in moss, &c. 



PHALAROPE. (PAerfaroptw.) A genus 

 of birds, belonging to the Cuvierian family 

 Longirostres. They live in small flocks on 

 the sea-coasts, and feed on aquatic and mol- 

 luscous animals. They fly well, and swim ex- 

 pertly, resisting the heaviest waves, but never 

 dive. They inhabit far north, migrating 

 in the autumn and winter to the temperate 

 regions of both continents. The female builds 

 on the shore among the grass, laying from 

 four to six eggs. Both sexes incubate, and 

 attend on the young, which leave the nest, 

 run about, and swim soon after they are 

 hatched. Their flesh is oily and unpa- 

 latable. 



PHASCOLARCTOS, or KOALA. (Phas- 

 colarctos cinereus.) A Marsupial animal, 

 closely allied to the Phalangers. It is 

 stoutly made, has robust limbs and powerful 

 claws, but is entirely destitute of tail. It 

 lives chiefly on fruits, and its habits are 

 arboreal : as it passes along the branches of 

 trees, it suspends itself by its claws, after the 

 manner of a Sloth. It also visits the ground, 

 however ; burrows with facility ; and there 

 remains in a dormant state during the cold 

 season. The fore feet of this animal have 

 each five toes, of which two are opposed to 

 the other three ; a zoological fact worthy of 

 note, as it is the only instance among Mam- 

 malia : in the hind feet this power does not 

 exist. When the young one leaves the pouch, 

 it clings to the back of the parent for some 

 time. In New South Wales, where they are 

 common, they are often called " Monkeys," 

 and sometimes " Bears." We extract a short 

 account of them which appeared in the 

 Saturday Magazine for Dee. 31. 1836, and 

 was written by one who has shot them, and 

 also kept them in a state of confinement 



for some time. " They have four hands, 

 having naked palms, which are armed with 

 crooked pointed nails, exceedingly sharp, 

 and rather long. They are covered with 

 fur of a bluish- gay colour, very thick, and 

 extremely soft. It is darker on the back, 

 and paler under the throat and belly, but 

 slightly tinged with a reddish-brown about 

 the rump. The nose is somewhat elongated, 

 and appears as if it was tipped with black 

 leather. The ears are almost concealed in 

 the thickness of the fur, but have inwardly 

 long whitish hairs. The eyes are round and 

 dark, sometimes expressive and interesting. 

 The mouth is small, and they have no tail. 

 Their countenance altogether is by no means 

 disagreeable, but harmless-looking and pi- 

 tiful. They seemed formed for climbing 

 trees, but they are rather slow in motion, 

 and but moderately active. Like many 

 other animals of the colony, they are drowsy 

 and stupid by day, but become more ani- 

 mated at night, and when disturbed they 

 make a melancholy cry, exciting pity. They 

 feed upon the tops of trees, selecting the 

 blossoms and young shoots ; and they are 

 also said to eat some particular kinds of 

 bark. When full-grown, they appear about 

 the size of a small Chinese pig. They are 

 certainly formed differently from every other 

 species of the quadrumana, and it is probable 

 they possess different enjoyments. They 

 are very inoffensive and gentle in manners, 

 if not irritated. The first I ever saw of 

 these animals was caught in a particular 

 manner by a native ; und as we witnessed his 

 manojuvres with considerable curiosity, it 

 may afford some interest to relate the anec- 

 dote. 



" We were ascending very early in the 

 morning Mount Tourang, one of the trigo- 

 nometrical stations in Argyle, when the 

 native perceived a very large monkey in 

 the act of ascending a tree : he caught it, and 

 being desirous of preserving the animal, we 

 tied it with some silk kerchiefs to the trunk 

 of a small tree, intending to take it to the 

 camp on our return. About sunset we were 

 descending the mountain, and did not forget 

 the prisoner ; but, lo 1 on arriving at the spot, 

 the creature was gone. The native shook his 

 head, whistled, and commenced examining 

 the neighbouring trees, when presently he 

 espied the animal perched upon the top of 

 a high tree, quite at home. " Me catch the 

 rascal directly," said the black, and pro- 

 ceeded first to cut a thin pole about ten 

 feet in length. He next tore a long strip of 

 ropy bark, which lie fastened to one end of 

 the pole, in the form of a loop or noose ; after 

 which he commenced climbing the tree in 

 good spirits, and confident of success. The 

 animal, on observing the approach of his 

 enemy, ascended higher and higher till he 

 reached the very extremity of the leafy bough 

 on the top of the tree : while the native, 

 mounting as high as he could safely go, 

 could but scarcely reach him with his pole. 

 For a long time he tried to get the noose 

 over the head of the monkey, and several 

 times, when the native imagined he had suc- 

 ceeded, the monkey, at work with his fore- 

 hand, would repeatedly tear it off and dis- 



