348 DIVISION I. VKRTEBIiAL ANIMxVLS. — CLASS I. MAMMALIA. 



hh tliiimli, wliicli is nalllcss, besides wliicli tiierc are four well-ileveluped toes, 

 all aniR'il with large, coni})ressed, curved elaws ; the two inneriiiost of these 

 tiies are joined togctlier almost to the cxtreiuit}-. They are ratlicr shorter 

 than the other two toes. On the fjre feet are five well-developed toes, whieh, 

 like those of the hind i'eet, are armed with strong, coni[)ressed, curved claws ; 

 the innermost toe is the shortest, and the three central ones are the longest. 



In the various species comprised in the PltuIaiKjistidw we find certain 

 modiricatlons, both in their dentition and external characters, upon wiiicli 

 genera and sub-genera have been finmded. They are divided into three 

 genera : those which have a large membrane extended from the sides of the 

 body, and joined to the fore and hind legs, as in the flying squirrels, and 

 whieh enables them to sail iu the air like a paracluite (l>ut not to fiy), con- 

 stitute the genus Prliiurns. To those which have no such memijrane, and 

 liave a prehensile tail, the generic term IV/a/ui/r/istd. (Geofroy Saint-IIilaire) 

 is now restricted ; and thirdly, we have the genus Phdseohtriios, containing 

 only one species (the Koala), which is at once distinguished by its want 

 of tail. 



Genus PiiALAXcasTA. — The species of this group are rather handsome 

 animals, varying in size from a length of twenty inches or more to that of a 

 common mouse. 



7'. UrsiiKi. — Ursine I'halanger. This animal is about the size of a cat, 

 and of a brown-black color. It inhabits the northern parts of the Celebes. 

 Diu-iu"- the day it hides itself beneath the foliaire on the branches of tlie 

 trees. The flesh is eaten by the natives. 



P. C'//n/surr//iis. — Yi-llow-rumped I'halanger. This species is a liati\c 

 of Ambaina, and is about the size of the wild-eat. 



P. 2Tacidat(i. — ^[jDtted riialaugcr. This, as its name suggests, is a 

 spotted animal. It is about ctpial to the domestic eat in size, and lives iu 

 trees. It inhaliits Xew Guiana and the islands of Ambaina, where its flesh 

 is eaten by the natives. 



P. C'l Iff fro lis. — The hollow-fronted phalanger is of the size of the com- 

 mon ralibit. The fur is white. Habitat same as the last. 



P. vulpine, vulpine phalanger, J'. J'ldiyinosa, P. C'liricri, P. Xnntlio- 

 pus, yellow-footed phalanger, and P. caniua, canine phalanger, are dis- 

 tinguished by an extremely l)ushy tail. 



1'. Cookii, Cook's phalanger, i'. virerrl iki , viverrine phalanger, and P. 

 riiiHii, pigma phalanger, have the tail less haiiy than the preceding species. 

 The fore feet have the two inner toes on a diflcrent plane to the two outer. 



The/', nana is a curious little animal, about the size of a dormouse. 

 ^Ir. Bell furnishes the followiuir iuterestiu"- account of the habits of these 

 creatures : — 



