PHALANGERIDE 153 
Papuan and North Anstralian sub-region; a second species (D. 
palpator), characterised by the still greater clongation of the fourth 
finger, ocewrring in South New Guinea. These animals are said 
to be of insectivorous habits, the clongated fourth finger, as in the 
analogous instance of the Lemuroid genus Chiroiys, being appar- 
ently specially adapted for extractings inseets and larva from their 
hiding places. 
PetaurusA—Size medium or small. Fur very soft and. silky. 
A broad flying membrane extending from the outer side of the fifth 
digit of the manus to the ankle. Fore toes usually increasing 
regmlarly in length from the tirst to the fifth, but in some of the 
smaller species the fourth is the longest. Claws strong, sharp, and 
much curved. Tail long, evenly bushy to the extremity. Glands 
on the chest and between the ears. Skull short and wide, with 
the nasals expanded posteriorly, and usually two small palatal 
yacuities near the second molars, Auditory bulle inflated, and 
variable in size. Dentition: ¢8,¢), p.m +4. First upper incisors 
very large, and taller than canine. Molars with square crowns 
rounded at the angles, and four cusps, except in the last, which is 
triangular. 
This genus, which ranges from New Ireland to South Australia, 
but is not found in Tasmania, contains three species, the largest of 
which is the Yellow-bellied Flying-Phalanger (P. australis), whose 
habits are recorded by Mar. Gould as follows. “This animal is 
common inall the brushes of New South Wales, particularly those 
which streteh along the coast from Port Philip to Moreton Bay. 
In these vast forests trees of one kind or another are perpetually 
flowering, and thus offer a never-faling supply of the blossoms 
upon which it feeds; the flowers of the various kinds of gums, 
some of which are of great magnitude, are the principal favourites. 
Like the rest of the genus, it is nocturnal in its habits, dwelling in 
holes and in the spouts of the larger branches during the day, and 
displaying the greatest activity at might while running ever the 
small leafy branches, frequently even to their very extremities, in 
seaveh of insects and the honey of the newly-opened blossoms. — Its 
structure being il adapted for terrestrial habits, it seldom descends 
to the ground except for the purpose of passing to a tree too dis- 
tant to be reached by flight. When chased or foreed to fight it 
aseonds to the highest branch and performs the most enormous 
leaps, sweeping from tree to tree with wonderful address: a slight 
elevation gives its body an impetus which, with the expansion of 
its membrane, enables it to pass to a considerable distance, always 
ascending a little at the extremity of the leap: by this ascent the 
animal is prevented from receiving the shock which it would other- 
wise sustain,” 
V Shaw, Naturalists Miscellany, vol. ii, pl. lx. (1791. 
