362 



The Living Animals of the woria 



uu into a furry white ball in one corner of 

 the cao-e, the head, limbs, or other features 

 being at sucli times altogether indistinguish- 

 able The aid of the magnesium flash-light 

 was successfully called into service to secure 

 the photograiihic likeness of this animal, here 



reproduced, which was taken while 



it was 



PluAubii W. Saviile-Kciit, F.Z.S.'i [il,ljhrd-on-S:n. 



CO.MMOX GREY OPOSSUM, OR THALAi\(;EB. 



Tlio fur <if this species is in great demand fi-i- the niannfactuie of 



carn;ige-rngs. 



enjoying its evening meal. 



As previously mentioned, some representa- 

 tives of the flying-phalanger group are no 

 larger than mice, and are furnished in a similar 

 manner with a parachute-like membrane that 

 enables them to take almormally long flying 

 leaps, or as it were to sail horizontally through 

 the air. The Tygmy Flyixu-i'iialaxcer, whose 

 length of body does not exceed 2Jr inches, is one 

 of the most interesting. The tail in this form 

 is also adapted for aerial flotation, the long hairs 

 tliat grow upon this appendage being arranged in 

 t\V(i parallel lines like the vanes of a feather. Its 

 distriliution is limited to the south and eastern 

 distiicts of the Australian Continent. There 

 are also a nund)er of mouse- and s(juiri'el-like 

 phalangcrs destitute of the flying-membrane, 

 which in this respect very closely resemble in 

 external aspect more typical mendDers of the 

 Eodent ( )rder. One fornr in particular, the 

 STHirED PiiALANGER of New (juiuea, decorated 

 with broad longitudinal black and white stripes, is singularly suggestive of some of the variously 

 striped American s(piirre]s. This interesting island of New Guinea also produces a little Pygmy 

 PHALA^(iER with a feather-like tail which, except for the absence of a parachute or flying- 

 membrane, is the very counterpart of the Australian kind. Another species, whicli in shape, 

 size, and more especially with reference to its long, ])ointed snout, closely resembles a shrew- 

 mouse, is found in Western Austi-aJia. Tlie tail of this species, known as the Long-SXODTED 

 PlIALAN'GEK. is highly prehensile; and it is also pmvided with a long, slender, protr\isile tongue, 

 with which it abstracts the honey from Panksias and other flowers, u})on which it customarily feeds. 

 The two large phalangers known as the Br.ACK and Guey' or ^'uLrI^'E OroysuM.s, which are 

 chiefly laid under contribution for the Australian fur supjilies, are provided wdth prehensile 

 tails, the under side of the extremity of which gras[is the supporting fulcrunr and is devoid 

 of hair. The adaptation of tlie tail for use as a fltth hand — as in the New "World monkeys — 

 is, liowever, much more cons[)icuously manifested in wdiat are known to the colonists as the 

 PiXG-TAiLED Orossr.MS, and to zoologists as CRE^^(■E^;T-^00TI1ED Phalangers. In these the 

 tail tapers to a tine ])oint, and the liair throughout the terminal third of this appendage 

 is so flne and short that it at tirst siglit ju'esents the ap}iearance of being entirely naked. 

 This teriiunal thii'd of the tail, nioreoM'r, in the greater number of species, contrasts with the 

 remaining portion liy being white in hue. It occasionally happens, however, that individuals 

 occur which are entirely wliite. One such which came into the writer's possession was 

 obtained from the Bruni Islands, in the Derwent Estuary, Tasmania, and afterwards became 

 a great pet with the young p(!o]ile at (iovernment House, Hobart. It is an interesting 

 circumstance that the liruni Islands w"ere noted for the ]iroduction of albino animals of 

 various descriptions, white kangaroos and white emus having also been obtained from this 

 locality. Probably some jieculiarity of the soil, and its action on the vegetable food the animals 



