lii'pro'hu-tivc Ph^)i<nii( 11(1 in I iismonian ^fal■iillpials. 225 



XXVI. — Sotes on certain Tieprodnctive Phenonvna in some 

 Tasmunian Marsupi<th. By ProtV'SSor T. I'lIOMSuN 

 Flynn, D.Sc, University of Tasiiiania. 



Knowing well the great importance of securinf^, while there 

 is still tinu', a re[)resent;itive collection oi intra-utcriiie stages 

 and pouch-yoiinj^ of the fast-disa[)peariiii( inarsmiial tauiia of 

 Tasmania, and, having been assisteti in the attainment of this 

 eml by the funds placed at the disposal of the University of 

 Tasmania by the Trustees of the estate of the late John 

 Kalston and by a grant from the British Association, I have 

 in the last few years set myself to this task. The not result 

 is that a most valuable series of such stages, ranging from 

 early segnnntation onward, has been obtained, and is now 

 being investigated in the Biological Department of the 

 University of Tasmania. 



The greater proportion of this valua])le material is of the 

 common diprotodont marsupial Paeudochirus cookl (the 

 Tasmanian " ringtail " phalanger) * ; but stages have also 

 been obtained illustrating the development of Trichosurus^ 

 Perameles, Poturous tridactylus^ Bettougia cuniculus, and 

 some other forms. 



Some of the larger problems presented by this mateiial are 

 now being investigated, but, during the course of collecting 

 and exaniMiing, note has been made of a nujnber of points 

 connected witii the natural history of these interesting- 

 mammals, and, in view of the general significance of these 

 facts and our meagre knowledge of even the more ordinary 

 details of marsupial life, opportunity is being taken in this 

 short communication to put them on record. Further, the 

 notes on breeding-seasons etc. may be useful to future 

 collectors in this veiy distant but biologically interesting 

 j)ortion of the empire. 



Almost all the collecting has been done during the winter 

 months, since it is during that time of the year in Tasuiania 

 that the professional trapper shows his greatest activity. 



In the vicinity of llobart the niarsupial most easily 

 obtained is Pseudochirus cooki. Xatur;dly enough, my notes 

 refer to this marsupial more than to any other. 



Fsendochirus cooki is a small diprotodont marsupial, 



• Matschie bas lately revised the genus Pacuduchirus (Sitzb, Ges. 

 uftt. Freunde, Jieilin, I'Jlo), and has altered the specilic niuno of the 

 Tivjiuanian ioim to " piilt/ier." However, until Matschie's conclusions 

 htivo beeu aj,^reed to liy taxunomists more experienced than niy>elt', 1 

 piefer to keep to the better-known specilic det<igiiatiun couAi. 



Ann, dt Maj. JS'. Hist. Scr. 9. Vol. x. 15 



