130 ‘ MAMMALIA. 
PETAURUS, Shaw.—PHALancisTA, Illig. 
The Flying Phalangers have the skin of the flanks more or less 
extended between the legs, like the Flying Squirrels among the Ro- 
dentia, which enables them to sustain themselves momentarily in the 
air, and make greater leaps. They also are only found in New Hol- 
land. 
Some of the species have inferior canini, but they are very 
small. Their superior canini and their three first molars, above 
and below, are very pointed ; each of their back molars has four 
points. (1) 
Ph. pygmxa; Did. pygmza, Shaw, Gen. Zool. pl. 1145 
Schreb. CXLIV, A. (The Flying Dwarf Phalanger.) Of the 
colour and nearly the size of a Mouse; the hairs of the tail 
regularly arranged on its two sides like the barbs of a quill. 
Other species have no inferior canini, while the superior ones are 
very small. Their four back molars present four points, but they 
are slightly curved into a crescent, which is very nearly the form of 
those of the Ruminantia. In front, there are two above and one 
below, less complicated. By this structure they are rendered still 
more frugivorous than all the preceding species. 
Ph. petaurus ; Shaw, Gen. Zool. pl. cxii, White, Voy. 288. 
(The Great Flying Phalanger.) Resembles the Taguan and the 
Galeopithecus in size ; its fur is soft and close ; its tail long and 
flattened ; brownish-black above, white beneath. They are of 
various shades of brown ; some are variegated, and others per- 
fectly white. 
Ph. sciurea; Shaw, pl. cxiii, 3. (The Bordered Flying Pha- 
langer.) Size of the brown Rats; ash coloured above, white be- 
neath ; a brown line commencing on the chanfrin and running 
along the back; edges of the lateral membrane brown; tail 
tufted ; the length of the body and its posterior portion black. 
From the islands near New Guinea. 
P. Peroniit, Desm. (The Hairy-footed Flying Phalanger.) 
A reddish-grey; front of the ears and under part of the body 
whitish 3 toes very hairy and brown; tail black, longer than the 
body, and white at the end. 
Ph. macroura; Shaw, pl. cxiii, f. 2. (The Long-tailed Fly- 
ing Phalanger.) A deep brown above, white beneath ; size of 
the brown Rat ; tail slender, about half as long again as the body. 
Our third subdivision has the incisors and superior canini 
a > 
(1) It is of this first division that Desmarets has made his genus ACROBATE. 
