Phalangers. 259 



All the species of the genus Petrogale, or Wallabies, 

 have shorter toes and hind legs than the true Kangaroos 

 of the genus Macropus; and the under surfaces of their 

 feet are covered with horny tubercles to prevent them 

 from slipping. They do not support the weight of their 

 bodies on the tail, although they can use it to balance with. 



The representatives of the genus Halmaturus, to which 

 Bennett's Wallaby, or Bush Kangaroo (Halmaturus-ben- 

 netii), and the Black or Swamp WaJlaby (Halmaturus- 

 wallabutus), belong, do not live on open ground like the 

 Macropus, but inhabit the swamps, and sections of country 

 more or less thickly covered with brush and shrubs. The 

 close lying hairs on the former species in short and griz- 

 zly, similar to the Eaceoon in color but browner, and the 

 skins are used by furriers as an imitation for raccoon, or 

 made into leather by the tanners. The Swamp Wallaby is 

 one of the largest representatives of its genus, being about 

 three feet long, but the reddish brown fur is coarse and 

 covered with long black hairs. It is strong and service- 

 able however, and the smaller skins are quite extensively 

 used in the manufacture of coats but the large skins are 

 made into leather. 



Among the other species of this genus are the large 

 Antelope Kangaroo (Halmaturus-antelopinus),of Northern 

 Australia, and the small Bridled Kangaroo, or Pedemelon 

 — Paddy Melon — (Halmaturus- thetidis), of New South 

 Wales, the Halmaturus-billardieri that lives in herds in the 

 interior of Tasmania ; and the eighteen inch Wood Wallaby 

 (Halmaturus-brachyurus) , which spends most of its time 

 in the trees, and whose grizzly brownish soft fur is well 

 adapted for coat linings. 



THE PHALANGER. 



(Australian Opossum.) 

 The Phalangers are for the most part small in size and 

 are divided into two classes, the common and the flying 

 Phalangers; some of them are insect eaters, but most of 

 them live on the young shoots, leaves and blossoms of the 

 trees they inhabit. All the species of Phalangers have long 

 prehensile tails, and six incisor teeth in the upper, and 

 two in the lower jaw, with four molars on each side, but 

 the small premolars vary in number. 



