THE HEPOONA ROO. 



closes by its own elasticity, and gathers itself into folds, which have a very pretty effect, 

 account of the delicate white fur which becomes exposed by the action, and which ui 

 dulates in rich and graceful folds, alternating with the dark fur of the back and the 

 still darker stripe that forms the line of demarcation. 



The tail of the Opossum Mouse is nearly as long as the body, very slender, and 

 remarkable for the manner in which the hairs are affixed to it. The hairs that fringe 

 the greater part of the tail are about one-sixth of an inch in length, reddish-gray in 

 color, rather stiff, and are set on the tail in a double row, like the barbs of a feather. 

 A similar formation has already been described in the history of the pen-tail of Sara- 

 wak, on page 443. This mode of arrangement is called " distichous." 



The food of the Petaurists is generally of a vegetable character, consisting of leaves, 

 fruits, and buds, but the sharply pointed molars of the Opossum Mouse approach so 

 closely to the insectivorous type that the creature is probably able to vary a vegetable 

 diet by occasional admixture with animal food. 



The parachute-like expansion of the skin is of very great service to the animal when 

 it wishes to pass from one branch, or from one tree, to another without the trouble of 

 descending and the laborious climbing up again. Trusting to the powers of its para- 

 chute, the little creature will boldly launch itself into the air, stretching out all its limbs, 

 and expanding the skin to the utmost. Upborne by this membrane, the Opossum 

 Mouse can sweep through very great intervals of space, and possesses no small power 

 of altering its course at will. It cannot, however, support itself in the air by moving 

 its limbs, like the bats, nor can it make any aerial progress when the original impetus of 

 its leap has expired. 



This little creature is very common at Port Jackson. 



HEPOONA ROO, Petaurus Australia. 



The HEPOONA Roo or GREAT FLYING PHALANGER, is rather a remarkable animal in 

 appearance. It is an inhabitant of New Holland, and is found in tolerable plenty 

 about Port Jackson and Botany Bay. 



The color of the Hepoona Roo is rather variable, but is generally as follows. The 

 upper part of the body is brown tinged with gray, and a much darker brown stripe runs 

 along the course of the spine. The head is darker than the general hue of the body, and 

 on the top of the head the brown tint is warmed by the admixture of hairs of a fawn 

 color. The under portions of the abdomen and the parachute are white, very percepti- 

 bly washed with yellow, a peculiarity which has earned for the animal the title of flavi- 

 venter, which has been applied to it by some naturalists. The feet are blackish-brown, 

 and the toes of the hinder limbs thickly supplied with hair. The skin is brown. 



