Central Parts of Victoria. 



71 



river, and appears to entertain a peculiar aversion to the 

 high lands. This animal is unquestionably one of the most 

 beautiful animals in the country ; and its fur, which is par- 

 ticularly fine and soft, will, no doubt, at some future time, 

 become an article of commercial value. The petaurus flies 

 with considerable facility from tree to tree, on which it is 

 only detected by the motion of its long and bushy tail, and 

 the peculiar shrieks which announce its desperate leaps. The 

 general color is yellowish-grey, sometimes of a rusty hue. 



Closely allied to the above species is the flying opossum, 

 {^Petaurus taquanoides^ black squirrel, which differs from it 

 chiefly in the larger size which it attains, the blackness of 

 its coat, and the greater length of the tail. 



A third species is of a white colour, sometimes becoming 

 of a yellowish-grey tint ; but whether the specimens which 

 came under my notice were albinos or not I am at present 

 unable to decide. 



A fourth variety, somewhat smaller than the preceding ; 

 color, ash-grey. 



A fifth species, still smaller ; grey colour. 

 The sixth and last variety is that known by the name of 

 flying mouse (^Petaurus pygmoeus). 



The Petaurii, I am incUned to believe, breed nearly two 

 months later than the other branches of the marsupiala. 

 The embryo remains bhnd during its second period. 



Opossums ( Didelphis). — The class of animals to which the 

 term opossum was originally applied, and to which it is 

 therefore with strict propriety limited, has no representatives 

 whatever in Australia. The didelphis, however, familiarly 

 recognised as opossum by the colonists, occurs in three 

 different varieties. 



a. Brush-tailed opossum. 



b. A second variety, in which the tail is tipped white. 



c. Ring-Tail Opossum. — The foetus of this species is 

 black, a distinction sufficiently great to make it rank as an 

 independent group. 



The young of the opossums are brought forth in the latter 

 end of June; but do not obtain their full sight till the 

 middle of August. 



Phalangista. — To the family phalanglsta belong the flying 

 squirrels (Petaurii), and opossums (Didelphis ). 



Chiroptera. — As yet only two species of chiroptera have 

 been discovered in Victoria, viz., the vampyre bat, and the 

 common small bat. 



