SHORT-HEADED FRYING-PHALANGER. 
335 
like that of the head, and of a dusky or blackish hue; at the 
hinder angle, however, the fur is white. The tail rather 
exceeds the head and body in length, is cylindrical, and but 
moderately bushy. The fur is very soft, and its general tint 
on the upper parts of the body is ashy grey: a dusky longi 
tudinal line extends from between the eyes along the back; 
on the back it is rather indistinct, and towards the hinder 
part it is obliterated. The hairs of the tail are nearly of an 
uniform ashy grey hue, but somewhat inclining to dusky; on 
rather more than two inches of the apical portion the hairs 
are black. The flank membrane is blackish above, but white 
at the edge; the white fringe which margins this membrane 
is continued along the hinder part of the arm, and terminates 
at the tip of the little finger. The upper surface of the fore 
foot is smoky black; the hind foot is of a deep grey colour 
above, inclining to black: a dusky mark is observable along 
the outer side of the hind legs, and the external margin of 
the hind foot is fringed with long hairs. The under parts of 
the head and body, as well as the inner side of the limbs, are 
white, or nearly so. 
Lines. Inches. 
Length from tip of nose to root of tail . 
6 
6 
44 of tail ... ... . 
7 
0 
“ of hind foot, not including the nails .. 
1 
1 
44 of ear ... ... . 
9 
44 of skull ... . 
1 
3§ 
Width of ditto . 
1 
0 
Length of nasal bones ... 
5§ 
44 of frontal bones. 
6i 
44 of palate 
8 
The short-headed Plying-Phalanger must be very local, 
since it has been rarely sent home amongst the skins of 
mammals from Australia; I once, however, had an opportu¬ 
nity of examining an immense number of skins of this 
animal, which had been prepared for the furrier: they were 
