PETAURINE OPOSSUM. 497 



the whole border of the membrane : a darker or 

 blacker shade than on the rest of the fur prevails 

 on the upper parts of the shoulders, extending over 

 each side of the neck. The tail is at least equal 

 to the whole length of the head and body, and is 

 extremely full of long, soft fur, of a blacker cast 

 than the rest, particularly towards the end, where 

 it is longer or more floccy than towards the base: 

 the whole is of a roundish or subcylindric form, 

 but from the disposition of the long fur, has a 

 slightly flattened appearance towards the ex- 

 tremity. This species is most elegantly figured 

 in Mr. White's Journal: and the representation 

 here given is copied from the same plate, as was 

 also the figure published some years past in the 

 Naturalist's Miscellany, under the title of Petau- 

 rus; it being then supposed that this animal had 

 no abdominal pouch; for which reason I at that 

 time considered it as belonging to the tribe of 

 flying squirrels, and separated them from the rest 

 under a distinct genus of the above denomina- 

 tion. 



The native name of this animal is Hepoona 

 Roo. 



