258 POUCHED MAMMALS. 



animals, and are indeed reported to be more carnivorously inclined than any of the 

 other members of the family. They frequent only forests containing large trees, 

 and pass from the boughs of one tree to another after the manner of squirrels, 

 sometimes swinging themselves by the tail in order to reach a branch which would 

 otherwise be inaccessible. There are four teats in the pouch of the female, which 

 usually contains from two to four young; and it is said that a female is never 

 killed without at least one being in the pouch. So tightly do the young adhere 

 to the nipples, that they cannot be torn away without causing blood to flow. 



The True The true phalangers (Trichosurus), of which there are two 



Phalangers. species, from Australia and Tasmania, where, in common with the 

 members of the next genus, they are called opossu^ms, are readily distinguished from 

 the cuscuses by the character of their tails. Thus, instead of being tapering and 

 naked for about half its length, this appendage is thickly covered with bushy hair 

 up to its very tip, which, together with a narrow line on the lower surface extending 

 about a third of the length, is alone naked. The ears are more or less hairy behind ; 

 and there is also hair on the hind -feet behind the heel. The relative lengths 

 of the toes of the fore-feet are somewhat different from those obtaining in the 

 cuscuses; and there is also a gland on the chest not found in the latter. The 

 common phalanger (Trichosurus vulpecula) is one of the most abundant animals 

 in Australia, where it is found everywhere in forest-regions, with the excep- 

 tion of the Cape York peninsula; it is represented by a variety in Tasmania, 

 Deriving its specific name from its general resemblance in size and form to a 

 small fox, it is especially characterised by its comparatively long and narrow 

 ears, in which the length considerably exceeds the width. In the ordinary form 

 the general colour of the soft and close fur is grey above and yellowish white 

 beneath ; the ears being white, and the tail black. In the larger and stouter-built 

 Tasmanian variety the fur is longer, and of a more decided brown or rufous colour, 

 with little or no white on the ears. The short-eared phalanger (T. caninus), of 

 Queensland and New South Wales, comes very close to the latter variety, from 

 which it differs by its short and rounded ears. 



While the common phalanger inhabits forests, the short-eared species 

 frequents scrub-jungle; but in other respects the habits of the two are prob- 

 ably very similar, both being purely nocturnal creatures. During the daytime 

 the common species lies securely curled up in some hole in a giant gum-tree, but 

 soon after sundown issues forth to prowl in search of food, and remains abroad 

 until the laughing jackass commences its morning notes. Leaves especially 

 those of the peppermint-gum constitute their chief food; but their diet is 

 occasionally varied with the flesh of a bird. In their movements among the 

 forest trees they are very nimble ; and they are much aided in their evolutions 

 by their highly prehensile tails. They utter, especially during the pairing- 

 season, a loud, chattering cry, which echoes far through the forest stillness. 

 The female phalanger gives birth to one or two young, which are retained for a 

 long period in the pouch, but afterwards cling to the back of their parent till able 

 to shift for themselves. 

 Crescent-Toothed Very similar in external appearance to the true phalangers are a 



Phalangers. g rou p of ten species, which, from the peculiar structure of their 



