260 POUCHED MAMMALS OR MARSUPIALS. 



The Vulpine Phalanger, (Trichosurus-vulpecula) com- 

 monly known as the Australian Opossum, is the most in- 

 teresting of the many different species of Phalangers. It is 

 found in nearly every part of Australia, and seems to be 

 constantly increasing in numbers in spite of the fact that 

 millions of the species are killed annually for the fur value 

 of their skins. In the finest skins the under fur is a bluish 

 grey, with longer and darker hairs on the back than on the 

 belly, which is yellowish, and has very dense fine short hair. 

 The largest representatives of this species are found in Tas- 

 mania, and sometimes measure twenty-five inches in length, 

 exclusive of the eleven inch tail ; it is yellower, and the fur 

 is longer and thicker than that on the varieties found in 

 other parts of Australia. The Victoria skins have a darker" 



AUSTRALIAN OPOSSUM. 



and richer blue-grey shade than any others except those of 

 the so-called "Adelaide Opossum," which is the smallest 

 of its species, and has a fur resembling that of the chinchilla 

 in appearance. The "Melbourne Opossum" is the most nu- 

 merous of all the Vulpine Phalangers. Its length is about 

 sixteen inches from tip to tip. The dense one and a half 

 inch long fur is usually bluish grey, mingled with larger 

 and coarser dark hairs on the upper parts, and white be- 

 neath. Most of the ' ' Australian Opossum ' ' skins are worked 



