PHALANGERS. 



259 



molars may be termed crescent -toothed phalangers. Externally they differ from 

 the preceding group by the tail being tapering, and having shorter hair on its 

 terminal third and under surface than elsewhere, with the lower surface of the 

 tip naked for a short distance. There is, moreover, no gland on the chest ■ and 

 the two inner toes of the front paw are very markedly opposable to the other 

 three. In addition to certain features in the skull, these phalangers are readily 

 distinguished from the last by having the whole four cusps on their upper molar 

 teeth distinctly crescent-shaped ; thus simulating those of the ancestors of the 

 Ruminant Ungulates. 



These phalangers inhabit Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea; and are 

 divided into two groups each containing five species. In the first group, as represented 



COMMON THAI 



by the Herbert River phalanger (Paewdoch irus herbertensls), and the widely spread 

 ring-tailed phalanger (P. peregrinus), first discovered by Captain Cook, the ears 

 are of medium length, and longer than broad, while the tail is tipped with white. 

 This group is confined to Australia and Tasmania, In the second group, on the 

 other hand, the ears are very short, and wider than long ; while, with one exception, 

 the tail is not white at the tip. The exceptional species is Archer's phalanger 

 (P. arckeri), of Queensland, which is the only representative of the group found 

 of Xew Guinea, Consequently, all the Australian crescent-toothed phalangers are 

 distinguished from those of Papua by their white tail-tips. 

 Great Flying- The flying representatives of this family belong to three groups, 



Phalanger. severally allied to as many non-volant types. The largest of these 

 forms is the great or taguan flying-phalanger {Peta uroides volans), of Queensland 

 and Victoria, which is the sole representative of its genus, and appears indeed to 

 be nothing more than a crescent-toothed phalanger which has acquired a flying- 



