584 



THE POUCHED ANIMALS. 



KOALA OR AUSTRALIAN BEAR. 



The first sub-family is formed by only one genus 

 and species, and presents to us one of the most re- 

 markable of all the Pouched Animals, the Koala or 

 Australian Bear {Phascolarctus chiereus). The tail- 

 less body is stout, the head very thick and short- 

 snouted, the mouth is provided with cheek-pouches, 

 the ear is large and overgrown with bushy hair, the 

 fore and hinder paws have five toes and are genuine 

 hand-feet, or feet capable of seizing and holding an 

 object. On the fore paws the two inner toes are 

 opposed to the three others; the hinder feet have a 

 strong, nailless, opposable thumb and toes of very 





THE SPOTTED CUSCUS. One of the handsomest of the Marsupials is the 



Spotted Cuscus, which mal<es its home in the northern part of Australia, New Guinea and 

 the islands north to the Celebes. The prehensile tail is long and is nalced and scaly for its 

 terminal half. The animal is a tree-dweller and lives on vegetable food and also on such 

 birds and mammals as it can overcome. (Phalnnger macnlalus.) 



unequal size, armed with sharp, long and curved 

 nails, thus being eminently adapted for climbing. 

 In respect to dentition, the unequal upper incisors, 

 of which the first is the largest and strongest, the 

 small canine teeth, and the grinders, provided with 

 cusps, are worthy of notice, as special characteristics 

 in which this animal differs from its relatives. 



The name of "Pouched Bear" is characteristic, 

 for the Koala bears a striking likeness to a young 

 Bear in shape, gait and general behavior. Its 

 length is about twenty-four inches, the height at the 

 withers about half as much. The color of the upper 

 part of the body is reddish ashy gray, the under sur- 

 face is yellowish white; the outer sides of the ears 

 are blackish gray. 



The Koala is indigenous to east Australia from 

 Queensland to Victoria. It is nowhere common and 

 is therefore little known as yet. In pairs it moves 

 about the loftiest trees with a slowness which has*- 

 also gained for it the name of "Australian Sloth." 

 The animal is of semi-nocturnal habits, sleeping at 

 least through the greatest heat and light of the day, 

 deeply hidden in the tops of gum-trees, which form 

 its favorite haunts. Towards evening it begins its 

 quest for food. Quietly and unmolested by any 

 other creature of the wilderness, it proceeds leis- 

 urely to browse off the young leaves and shoots of 

 branches, holding them with its fore paws and biting 

 them off with its front incisors or cutting teeth. 



Being of dull senses it suffers itself to 

 be taken with little trouble and resigns 

 itself with equanimity to the inevitable, 

 including confinement. It not only quickly 

 becomes very tame, but in a short time 

 learns to know its keeper and even dis- 

 plays a certain attachment for him. 



So far as is known, the female gives birth 

 to only one young one. After the infant 

 has outgrown the pouch, she carries it 

 around on her back and shoulders for a 

 long time, and treats it with great care and 

 affection. Europeans have known the 

 Koala only since 1803; the nati"ves, who 

 call it Goribum, have always regarded it 

 as a valuable object of the chase. They 

 hunt it diligently for its flesh, climbing 

 after it on trees. 



SMALL POUCHED APflMALS. 



The sub-family richest in species is 

 formed by the Small Pouched Animals 

 {PhalangerincE), which attain, at the most, 

 the size of large Martens. The tail is 

 generally long and prehensile, ths snout 

 is short and broad. 



THE CUSCUS. 



In the forests of Celebes, the Moluccas, 

 New Guinea, the Timor group and north 

 Queensland are found the members of a 

 peculiar genus of this sub-family, the Cus- 

 cus {Phalavger). They are of clumsy, awk- 

 ward structure, with moderately long ears, 

 perpendicular pupils of the eyes and a 

 thick, more or less woolly fur: the tail is 

 hairy only around the root, the terminal 

 half being naked and nearly covered with 

 warts. 



The Spotted The Spotted Cuscus, known 

 Cuscus the Hand- to the inhabitants of Aru as 

 somest Species. Wangal ( Phalanger macula- 

 tus), is one of the handsomest species of the genus; 

 it attains a total length of forty-four inches, the tail 

 including about nineteen inches of this. A thick, 

 woolly fur of silky softness clothes the body. The 

 color is subject to many modifications. The upper 

 surface is generally white, dashed with yellow or 

 with gray, relieved by large, irregular, rusty red, 

 deep brown or black spots; the outer faces of the 

 limb are lighter. The under parts are always spot- 

 less and of a pure white hue. 



The Spotted Cuscus inhabits the islands east of 

 Celebes to New Guinea and North Australia. We 

 are indebted to the Dutchman, Valentyn, for the first 

 accounts of the life and habits of these animals. He 

 relates that the Cuscus or Kusus, as the Malays call 



