MARSUPIALIA. 129 
very small lower ones, of which we have just spoken. Their tail is 
always prehensile. 
The tail in some of them is in a great measure scaly. They live 
on trees in the Moluccas, where they feed on Insects and fruit. At 
the sight of a man they suspend themselves by their tail; and if he 
gaze at them steadily for some time, they fall through lassitude. 
They diffuse a very unpleasant odour, notwithstanding which their 
flesh is eaten. : 
There are several of them known, of various sizes and colours, 
all of which are embraced under the Didelphis orientalis of Lin- 
nzus. M. Temminck thinks he can separate them into species 
as follows: Ph. ursina,T. (The Ursine Phalanger.) Nearly 
the size of the civet; fur close, and of a blackish-brown; the 
young ones a fawn-coloured brown. From the woods of the 
island of Macassar. 
Ph. chrysorrhous, T. (The Golden-cruppered Phalanger.) 
Size of a large Cat; fur of an ash brown; white beneath; a 
golden fawn colour on the croup. From the Moluccas. 
‘Ph. maculata, T.; Buff. XIII, pl. ii; Voy. de Freycin. pl. vii; 
Voy. du Duperr. pl. iv. (The Spotted Phalanger.) Size of a 
Cat ; whitish, irregularly spotted or marbled with brown. 
Ph. cavifrons, T.; Buff. pl. x, the female; and Voy. de Du- 
perrey, the male. (The Hollow-fronted Phalanger.) The male 
white ; the female fawn coloured, witha brown stripe along the 
back. To these we must add 
Ph. Quoy, Voy. de Freycin. pl. vi. (The Quoy Phalanger.) 
A greyish-brown ; a blackish-brown longitudinal band on the 
croup; top of the head a cinnamon-red ; cheeks, throat and 
breast white.(1) 
In others, which have hitherto been found in New Holland only, 
the tail is hairy to the tip. — 
Ph. vulpina; Did. lemurina and vulpina, Shaw; Bruno of Vicq. 
d’Az.; White, Voy. 278. (The Fox-like Phalanger.) Size ofa 
stout Cat; greyish-brown, paler beneath ; tail nearly all black. 
Ph. Cookii, Cook’s last Voy. pl. viii. (The Phalanger of 
Cook.) Less than a Cat ; brown above, white underneath ; head 
and flanks red ; posterior third of the tail white. 
Ph. Bougainvillit. (The Phalanger of Bougainville.) Size of 
a Squirrel; ash coloured above, white underneath; the poste- 
rior half of the tail black ; posterior half of the ear white) 
(1) A very distinct species. 
(2) A new species brought to France by M. de Bougainville from his last expedi- 
tion. 
Mion. 1. 
