290 
PUALANGISTA VULPINA. 
with that of P. vulpina; I must observe, however, that the 
fur on the sides of the body is composed of hairs which are 
of a pale rufous hue, but annulated with white near the point, 
and black at the point, and that this rufous tint is slightly 
visible when the hairs are in their natural position In 
some specimens from Van Diemen's Land the rufous tint is 
deeper, and very conspicuous on the sides of the body, and 
visible even on the back. Others I have seen which were 
intermediate in their colouring between the deep blackish 
brown specimens and the grey individuals. On the other 
hand, I may observe that, although the red hue on the sides 
of the body is not common in the New South Wales* speci¬ 
mens ofP. vulpina , yet it does sometimes make its appearance, 
as may be seen in individuals contained in the British Museum 
collection; and, from South Australia, I have seen several 
specimens having the fur of the upper parts of the body of a 
very distinct rufous grey hue. In die fourdi column I have 
given the dimensions of a beautiful and uncommon variety 
of our animal, in which the whole of the fur is nearly of an 
uniform yellow-white, or cream colour; the cheeks and under 
parts of the body are, however, of a more decided yellow. 
The specimen, which is in die museum of the Zoological 
Society*, is from Van Diemen’s Land. A similarly coloured, 
but smaller specimen, from die same island, forms part of the 
British Museum collection. 
As the almost black specimens are sent from Vail Diemen’s 
Land, accompanied with odiers, which are of very deep 
rufous brown tint, much suffused with black on die back; by 
odiers, which ore of a rich rufous grey ; by others, again, 
which arc grey; and, lastly, by individuals which are of a 
cream colour, and as all these specimens agree very closely in 
size and proportions, we cah but conclude that diey form one 
and the same variablo species. 
