FAMILY F O D I E N T A. BORROWERS. 



33 



feet hairy, five-toed, and clawed, the second and third toes of the fore foot 

 connected together ; the skin expanded from the loins to the limbs, and 

 sometimes from the neck also, forming a kind of sail. 



FROGIVORA. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



PHALANOISTA. This genus has been named from the inclusion of its 

 second and third toes so completely together within the skin, as to appear 

 but a single toe, were it not for the two distinct claws which project, 

 although placed close to each other. They are covered with a close, soft, 

 and thick fur. They make use of their strongly prehensile tail for hooking 

 themselves to the branches of trees, among which they constantly live and 

 doze through the day, and are found either suspended to or squatting upon 

 the larger branches with their tail curled round them. They are not very 

 active, and feed on all kinds of food, principally however on fruits, and it 

 is believed also on insects. They have a very strong smell, but notwith- 

 standing this their flesh is eaten. They are natives of the isles of the 

 Indian Archipelago and of Australia. They are divided into Phalangers 

 and Couscous. 



The Phalangers have the tail entirely or partially covered with hair ; 

 ears long and straight. 



Species : The New Holland Sear, or Vulpine Phalanger (P. Vulpina), 

 measures about two feet in length, the tail is about eighteen inches 

 long, and entirely covered with hair. It lives among the trees and in 

 holes in the ground ; is said to be omnivorous, feeding on young birds, 

 vegetables, and fruit. In captivity they sit upright like Squirrels, and 

 feed themselves with their fore paws. 



The White-tailed Opossum, or New Holland Opossum (P. Cookii), from 

 two to two and a half feet long, of which the tail measures twelve or 

 thirteen inches. The Dusky Phalanger (P. Fuliginosa), about the size of 

 the Vulpine. The Yellow-footed Phalanger (P. Xanthopus), same size as 

 the last. The Dwarf Phalanger (P. Nana) is about the size of a Mouse, 

 with a slender tail, similar to the last species. 



The Rufous-grey Phalanger (P. Gliriformis), about the size of a Dor- 

 mouse, the form of which it nearly resembles, except in being broader and 

 flatter ; eyes large and jet black ; ears long, erect, entirely bare, mouse- 

 coloured, and surrounded partially with a darkish ring in front, but inter- 

 rupted behind by a white spot ; face yellowish ; upper and back part of 

 the head reddish-grey, with a blackish ring about the eyes ; body covered 

 with soft thick fur of a grey colour, tipped with reddish-brown, and giving 

 the coat a reddish-grey appearance ; tail nearly as long as the body and 

 head together, broad and thick from its base to half an inch of its tip, 

 where it becomes contracted and gradually tapers to the end. In their 

 habits they are very like the Dormouse, feeding on nuts and such-like food, 

 which they take in their paws. They are nocturnal, come out late in the 

 evening, run about with great activity, and employ their tail as a prehensile 

 organ ; sometimes they reverse it and turn it over their back, but when 

 cold coil it up towards their under part, and almost between the thighs. 

 (Plate 10.) 



The Couscous are those with the tail almost entirely naked, and covered 

 with rugosities ; the ears short. The species are : 



The Ursine Couscou (P. Ursina) is about three feet four inches in length, 

 of which the tail is nineteen or twenty inches. They are found in the 

 thickets of the northern parts of the Celebes, where during daytime they 

 are seen squatting on the branches of trees hidden by the leaves. Their 

 flesh is eaten by the natives. 



The Golden-rumped Couscou (P. Chrysorrhos) is about four inches 

 shorter than the last species; the tail about thirteen inches in length. 

 From the Moluccas. 



' The Spotted Couscou, or Surinam Opossum (P. Maculata), is about the 

 size of our Common Cat, the whole length being nearly three feet, of 

 which the tail has seventeen inches. Native of the islands of Amboina 

 and Banda, where it is called Coescoes, and of Waigiou, where it is 

 named Scham-scham. Its flesh is of good flavour, and it is eaten by the 

 natives. 



The Large-tailed Couscou (P. Macroura) is about twelve inches to the 

 base of the tail, which is seventeen inches long, and very large at its base. 

 From Waigiou. 



The White Couscou (P. Cavifrons), about the size of a Rabbit ; the tail 

 fourteen inches long. Native of Amboina and Banda ; also in New Ireland, 

 where it is common, and called by the natives Kapoune. 



PETAUEISTA. These animals differ from the Phalangers, with which 

 they are included by Illiger, in having the skin extended from the sides of 

 the body to the limbs, like the Galeopitheques among the Lemurida, and 

 the Flying Squirrel among the Sciaurida, in the tail not being prehensile, 

 and the crowns of the hinder molar teeth being tubercular, from which 

 latter circumstance it is believed that they are not insect, but fruit-eaters, 

 though of their habits little is known. They are all natives of Australia. 



The Black Hepoona, or Black Flying Opossum (P. Taguanoides), measures 

 about twenty inches in length from the tip of the nose to the root of the 

 tail, is rather longer; the whole animal is covered with thick soft for. 

 The Long-tailed Hepoona (P. Macrarus), about the size of the Brown Rat ; 

 also, the Yellow-bellied Hepoona (P. Flaviventer), the same size. 



The Squirrel-tailed Hepoona, or Norfolk Island Flying Squirrel (P. 

 Sciurus), about the same size as the preceding species. Perm's Hepoona 

 (P. Peronii), about the size of the common Squirrel, and the Pigmy Hepoona 

 (P. Pygmaeus), which is about the size of a Mouse. 



Family BURROWERS ; Fodienta. 



ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES. 

 PLATE 11. 



Genu 



Species. Common Name. 



Phascolomys - - - - - Fuscus ----- Wombat. 

 Another genus of this family : Phascolarctos. 



CHARACTERS OF THE GENERA. 



1 . PHASCOLOMYS (Gr. tyaaKoXoc, a pouch, ^vc, a Eat). In each jaw two 

 incisive teeth of large size with truncated crowns ; no cuspid teeth ; five 

 molar on a side in each jaw, compound, and having the enamel rising 

 around the edge of their crowns, the first on each side, both above and 

 below, of an elliptical form, and small, the others each resembling two of 

 these joined together, and twice their size ; nose sharp ; eyes lateral ; ears 

 of moderate length, and upright ; head triangular when viewed in front ; 

 body bulky ; fore legs capable of performing pronation and supination, and 

 hind legs similarly circumstanced ; feet plantigrade, the claws of the front 

 toes strong, curved, and fit for digging; of the hind feet the thumb is 

 short and nailless, and the second, third, and fourth toes connected toge- 

 ther, and the fifth loose ; tail very short. 



2. PHASCOLARCTOS (Gr. ^ao-icoXoc, a pouch, and apicroe, a Sear). In- 

 cisive teeth in the upper jaw eight, of which the middle two are very large 

 and long, and the others very short and small ; in the lower jaw two long 

 ones ; a large gap separates these from the molar teeth, and in it in the 

 upper jaw on each side is a little, sharp, cuspid teeth, but in the lower there 

 is not any ; molar teeth five on a side in each jaw ; their crowns deeply 

 grooved, and forming two sharp edges; tail entirely deficient; legs of 

 equal length and short, the fore feet having five toes, armed with short 

 pointed claws, the inner two toes shorter, and opposable to the outer three ; 

 the hind feet four-toed, the thumb being deficient, and the two inner con- 

 nected with each other. 



FODIENTA. DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIES. 



PHASCOLOMYS Wombat, or the Ursine Opossum (P. Bassii) is about 

 two feet and a half long, or about the size of a Badger ; short and thick-set 

 in form, with a triangular-shaped head, a sharp snout and short limbs, and 

 in its general appearance resembling a small Bear. The animal is covered 

 with coarse hair about an inch and a half in length, thinnish on the belly, 

 thicker on the back and head, but thickest on the loins and rump ; the tail 

 is naked, except a few short fine hairs near its tip ; the colour is light 



