MARSUPIALS AND MONOTREMES 



361 



The larger flying- 

 phalanger, the dimensions 

 of our domestic tabby, and 

 with fur as long and as soft 

 as the Persian variety, is 

 less frequently domesticated. 

 It has, in fact, an evil reputa- 

 tion for scratching, biting, 

 and general untamableness. 

 One that was kept for some 

 little time by the late Dr. 

 Bennett, of Sydney, and 

 brought to England, never 

 entirely lost its innate 

 savagery. On the voyage 

 from Australia it became 

 sufficiently tame as to be 

 allowed occasionally to run 

 about on the deck, and was 

 so far amiable as to lay on 

 its back and permit itself to 

 be tickled. On attempting 

 to handle it, however, " it 

 displayed its usual savage 

 disposition, digging its sharp 

 claws and teeth into the 

 hands of its captor." The 

 writer was fortunate in being 

 the recipient in Queens- 

 land of a couple of these 

 large phalangers which were 

 exceptions to the usual rule. 

 These specimens a mother 

 and its young male offspring 

 also varied in colour from 

 normal examples, which 

 are usually dark slate or 

 blackish brown above and 

 whitish underneath. The 

 mother in this instance was 

 a beautiful cream-white throughout; and her young one, while dark chinchilla-grey upon 

 the back, limbs, and tail, had white ears and breast. Both were very friendly, and would of 

 their own accord climb over their owner's person, seeking in his pockets for hidden lumps 

 of sugar and other acceptable dainties. As with the smaller squirrel-like forms, they slept 

 throughout the greater portion of the day, waking to activity and making excursions in search 

 of their food as soon as the sun went down. The tail of this species of phalanger is abnormally 

 long and furry, but not prehensile. It was observed of them that when feeding leisurely on 

 the gum-tre2 leaves this appendage was permitted to hang or rest loosely, but that when walking 

 along the branches they would very frequently coil this member into a tight spiral coil, like 

 a watch-spring or the proboscis of a butterfly, against their hindquarters. This phenomenon is 

 apparently unique among mammals. Although generally seeking the darker retreat of their box 

 for their long daylight sleep, the female, more particularly, would frequently simply curl herself 

 46 



MM. tj If. Savillt-Kiat, F.Z.S. 



PYGMY FLYING-PHALANGER 



A life-size photograph. The hairs of the tail in this animal are arranged in ttvo parallel Iincs 9 

 like the vanes -)f a bird's feather 



