10 
podidsB. In rnnninrr they press the fore legs close to the side so that they 
cannot be seen, and they will make clear jumps of eight and ten feet 
high. The hind legs are very long and slender, and the tail i*ather 
short and stiff, hut not thickened at the base. One gi’eat peculiarity 
of these two last genera is that in them the canine teeth are observable 
for the first time among the family of raacropods. 
THE BErrONOS, OR JERBOA KANGAROOS (genus Bettongia). 
These are small animals for the Icangaroo family, for they are only 
about the size of a rabbit. They also are similar to the rabbit in 
their habit of forming extensive buiTows and living in communities. 
They ni’c essentially inhabitants of the dry interior, and though four 
or five species are known, only one or two are to be found in Queens¬ 
land. This group connects the kangaroo tribe with the Phalaugei’S or 
opossums. 
THE RAT KANGAROOS (genua Hypsiprimnus), 
This genns completes the list of kangaroo tribe. There are several 
species of them, and they differ but little from the preceding genus. 
Their size is the smallest of the tnbe, running probably from 3lbs. to 
Gibs, in weight. Their limbs are of more equal length, they j>rogress 
i-athcr slowly, and the fail is short and stiff. In the Bettongs the tail is 
more or Ic.ss prehensile. Through the Hyj^si'pTymni the kangaroos 
approach the bandicoot tiibe ov peramelidcc, 
THE PHALANGISTID^ (PHALANGERS.) 
This family of the ilarsupialia is one that will bo constantly coming 
under the observation of the immigrant to this colony. It comprises 
the native bear, the opossums, and the flying squiirels. These animals 
are all arboreal, and noctnmal in their habits. They are peaceable in 
dispo.sition, but when wounded the opossums will bite severely. They 
have increased greatly in numbers (excepting the Koala, or native 
beai‘), and in many places in the Southern colonies the opossums have 
proved vex*y destructive to farm and oi'chard crops. 
There is no animal that the immigrant will be so certain to make 
the acquaintance of than the opo.ssum. He is to be found every where 
that tliere are gum ti-ecs, from Tasmania to Cape York, in the interior 
or on tlie coast, altliougli ho is not so numerous in the interior 
countx-y. His jnoper name is 
THE VULPINE PHAL.1NGER {Phalangista tJuZpina), 
but every one calls Iiim “ opossum.” There are sevei-iil species of 
these animals, but they differ only slightly L orn each other and all are 
dubbed “ ’possums” by the colonists. Queensland possesses a greater 
number of species than any of the other colonies. In habit they ai'e 
all nocturnal; during the day time they sleep in the hollow holes of 
old gum ti*ee8 and so cannot be seen, but at sundown they pop out of 
their concealment and at once make for the exti-emo iwig.s of the tall 
trees, wliere they feed upon the gum leaves. Upon moonlight nights 
they are shot in great miml3ers l)y the younger members of the settlers’ 
families. They do not show much intelligonce when being hunted 
