268 
PHALANGISTA URBINA. 
ears are somewhat longer, not hidden by the fur, and naked 
within. 
The Ursine Phalanger is readily distinguished from others 
of its section by its ftir being chiefly of a black colour; most 
of the hairs on the upper parts of the body, however, are 
usually tipped with yellow, producing a freckled appearance; 
on the head the yellow colour predominates, and the muzzle, 
and lower part of the cheeks, scarcely exhibit a trace of the 
black hue. The under parts of the head and body, as well 
as the inner side of the limbs at the base, are of a dirty yellow 
colour; the fur of the abdomen is dark, however, next the 
skin. The ears are clothed at the base, externally, with black 
and yellow hairs, like those of the head ; on other parts they 
arc densely covered with longish yellow hairs. The naked 
pints of the feet, tail, and muzzle, appear to have been black, 
or at least of a dusky hue, in the living animal. Such is the 
colouring of two specimens in the British [Museum collection. 
A specimen in the Zoological Society's Museum differs in 
having the general colouring of the fur brownish black, ami 
the parts above described as yellow are of a brownish-white 
tint: on the upper and fore part of the back the black pre¬ 
vails, and on the hinder half of the back the pale colour is 
most conspicuous, whilst on the head, tail, and under parts of 
the body, scarcely any black is perceptible. The basal half of 
the tail is clothed with fur of the same texture as that of the 
body; the apical half is destitute of hair, and the naked part 
is more extended on the under than the upper surface by 
about two inches: the whole of the naked portion of the tail 
presents small scattered fleshy tubercles. The toes are but 
sparingly clothed with hairs ; the claws are very large, and of 
a brownish colour. 
Mr. Temmiuck informs us, that the young of this species 
differ from tho old, in having the fur of a pale colour, and 
that the old specimens are perfectly black ; those of moderate 
