NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS OF THE GENERA PHASCOGALE, 

 SMINTIIOPSIS, ACROBATES AND PROM1C1A. 



By A. S. LE SOUEF, Secretary Taronga Zoological Park, and HARRY BURRELL. 



For some years past we have been endeavouring to procure anil photograph living specimens of the 

 smaller marsupials, and to learn something of their life history, as comparatively few have been 

 studied in the live state. !t hus proved rather hard to procure the animals, since they arc not recog- 

 nise,! as being oi any special interest by those who chance upon them, they being generally classed 

 ;b rats or mice and killed as vermin. Moreover the clearing and occupation of the country, and the 

 in trod need cat and the fox are threatening the extermination of some species. It won I I further appear 

 that disi ase also has affi cted them, sim e the Native Cats, Dasyurus, and the Marsupial Rats, Phascogale, 

 - .in to have practically disappeared over huge area-, of Eastern Australia about 'he same time as 

 the Native Hears, Phascola) lus were almost exterminated by what appeared to be an eye affection, 

 alter the drought ol [903. All these animals were extremely numerous twenty years ago, but 

 diligent search now only proves their scarcity at anj rate in mosl parts ol New South Wales. The 

 Native Cat seems to be numerous onlj in the vicinity of Sydney, while the Native Hears, while still 

 having stronghold in the Victorian National Park at Wilson Promontory, are elsewhere far from 

 common. 



As different animals may have a predilection for parti, ul u trees, ue suggest that the species of 

 tree on which an arboreal animal occurs might be noted with advantage. 



Fig. la. 



The Yellow-footed Pouched Mouse, Phascogale ftavipes. (Figs. \a. lb. and ic.) 



This species is fairly common in the County of Cumberland, around Sydney, and we have also 

 received specimens from Robertson, Marsden, Widgiewa, and Koorawatha, in the south-west of the 

 State. During the breeding season, we have found specimens living in sandstone caves, where they 

 make compact nests of eucalyptus leaves in the weather-worn holes common in these shelters. An 



