PHALANGERIDjE 153 



Papuan and North Australian sub -region ; a second species (D. 

 palpator), characterised by the still greater elongation of the fourth 

 finger, occurring in South New Guinea. These animals are said 

 to be of insectivorous habits, the elongated fourth finger, as in the 

 analogous instance of the Lemuroid genus Chiramys, being appar- 

 ently specially adapted for extracting insects and larvae from their 

 hiding places. 



Petaurus. 1 Size medium or small. Fur very soft and silky. 

 A broad flying membrane extending from the outer side of the fifth 

 digit of the manus to the ankle. Fore toes usually increasing 

 regularly in length from the first to the fifth, but in some of the 

 smaller species the fourth is the longest. Claws strong, sharp, and 

 much curved. Tail long, evenly bushy to the extremity. Glands 

 on the chest and between the ears. Skull short and wide, with 

 the nasals expanded posteriorly, and usually two small palatal 

 vacuities near the second molars. Auditory bullse inflated, and 

 variable in size. Dentition : i f , c , p f , m . First upper incisors 

 very large, and taller than canine. Molars with square crowns 

 rounded at the angles, and four cusps, except in the last, which is 

 triangular. 



This genus, which ranges from New Ireland to South Australia, 

 but is not found in Tasmania, contains three species, the largest of 

 which is the Yellow-bellied Flying-Phalanger (P. australis), whose 

 habits are recorded by Mr. Gould as follows. "This animal is 

 common in all the brushes of New South Wales, particularly those 

 which stretch along the coast from Port Philip to Moreton Bay. 

 In these vast forests trees of one kind or another are perpetually 

 flowering, and thus offer a never-failing supply of the blossoms 

 upon which it feeds; the flowers of the various kinds of gums, 

 some of which are of great magnitude, are the principal favourites. 

 Like the rest of the genus, it is nocturnal in its habits, dwelling in 

 holes and in the spouts of the larger branches during the day, and 

 displaying the greatest activity at night while running over the 

 small leafy branches, frequently even to their very extremities, in 

 search of insects and the honey of the newly-opened blossoms. Its 

 structure being ill adapted for terrestrial habits, it seldom descends 

 to the ground except for the purpose of passing to a tree too dis- 

 tant to be reached by flight. When chased or forced to flight it 

 ascends to the highest branch and performs the most enormous 

 leaps, sweeping from tree to tree with wonderful address ; a slight 

 elevation gives its body an impetus which, with the expansion of 

 its membrane, enables it to pass to a considerable distance, always 

 ascending a little at the extremity of the leap; by this ascent the 

 animal is prevented from receiving the shock which it would other- 

 wise sustain." 



1 Shaw, Naturalist's Miscellany, vol. ii. pi. Ix. (1791). 



