46 GUIDE TO THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM. 



Group 1.— Phalangistinae ; Phalangers, or Austialian 

 Opossums, are found all over Australia. They have long 

 prelicnsile tails. The Phalangistas proper are natives of 

 Australia and Tasmania ; the Cuscus are natives of the 

 islands north of Australia. The tail of the Cuscus is often 

 devoid of hair. They are not really Opossums, but are 

 so called from their resemblance to the true Opossum, 

 which is a native of America. The principal specimens 

 are : — 



Phalangista cookii (or Cook's Phalanger) was discovered by 

 Sir Joseph Banks on Capt. Cook's first voyage to Australia. 



P. laniginosa, the Woolly Phalanger (or King Tailed Opossum), 

 a native of N.S.W. 



P. fuliginosa ; the Sooty Phalanger, of Tasmania ; is distin- 

 guished by its long bushy tail and black fur. 



P. vuli)ina ; the Vulpine Opossum found in Tasmania and 

 N.S.W. 



P. viverrina ; Viverrine Phalanger, from Western Australia. 



P. canina ; the Canine Opossum of New South Wales ; has grey 

 fur and a black tail. 



Cuscus chrysorrhous ; the New Guinea Opossum. 



C. orieutalis ; from New Ireland and the Solomon Islands. The 

 native name of this species in the island of Amboyna is 

 said to be Coes-Coes. 



C. maculatus ; the Spotted Phalanger, from Cape York. 



C. brevicaudatus ; also from Cape York. 



Dactylopsila trivirgata; from Rockingham Bay, Cape York, 

 and New Guinea. 



Dromicia gliriformis, is a very small species, with soft grey 

 fur and large eyes. It feeds on honey from the Eucalyptus 

 flowers and Banksias, and partly hybernates in winter. 



Group 2.— Petauristinse; Flying Phalangers. The tail 

 in this group is very long, but not prehensile. There is a 

 membrane between the fore and hind legs which adapts 

 the animal for flight. 



