ORDER CARNASSIER. 41 



moderate in size and rounded. The feet are pentadacty- 

 lous, not united to the body by the skin of the flanks. The 

 fore-feet have the toes separated, and armed with strong 

 and crooked, but not retractile claws. There is a large 

 thumb on the hinder foot without a nail, turned backwards, 

 very distinct from the other toes, of which the two internal 

 ones, equal in size, and much shorter than the fourth and 

 fifth, are united by the skin as far as the base of the 

 claws. 



It was in consequence of this union that these Mammalia 

 received the name of Phalangers, from BufFon and Dauben- 

 ton. It was a remarkable character at the epoch in which 

 those writers flourished, and they named from it the only 

 species then known to exhibit it. Since that period, how- 

 ever, it has been found in many other genera. 



The tail is sometimes naked, sometimes covered with 

 hairs, more or less prehensile, and almost always as long 

 as the body. There is an abdominal pouch in the female, 

 tolerably ample. 



These animals live almost continually in trees, where 

 they subsist on fruits and insects. They are slow in their 

 movements, and emit an unpleasant odour, which proceeds 

 from a liquor secreted in a gland observable near the 

 anus. 



The Phalangers are found in the Moluccas, New Holland, 

 and Van Diemen's Land. 



The Vulpine Phalanger, (Didelphis Vulpina,) is the first 

 species admitted by Cuvier. It is about the size of a large 

 cat. The general proportions of its body are elegant and 

 delicate, more so than those of the other Phalangers. The 

 upper part and sides of the body, as well as the basis of the 

 tail, are grayish brown, approaching to fawn-colour on the 

 shoulders. The head is of a grayish fawn, deeper than 

 that of the belly. The ears are naked within, and covered 

 with gray and fawn-coloured hairs without. The external 



