6 
AMONGST the moft curious quadrupeds yet difcover- 
ed inthe Antarctic regions, may be numbered the animal 
reprefented on the prefent plate; which (exclufive of its 
diminutive fize, not exceeding that of a common domettic 
moufe) forms as it were a kind of connecting link be- 
tween the genera of Didelphis and Sciurus, or Opoffum 
and Squirrel. In the genus Sciurus we meet with a cer- 
tain number of fpecies which are furnifhed with an ex- 
panfile {kin on each fide the body, by the affiftance of 
which they are enabled to fpring toa confiderable dif- 
tance, and to dart from tree to tree in a more rapid man- 
ner than the reft of their congeners. Thefe particular 
kinds of Squirrels have been fometimes called Pefauri/ie 
or Petauri; and in the defcription of a New Holland ani- 
mal of this tribe, figured in the NATURALIST’s MISCEL- 
LANY, I have taken the liberty of inftituting a diftinct 
genus for fuch fpecies under the name of PETAURUS; 
difaffociating them, on account of the very {triking par- 
ticularity of the lateral membrane, from the reft of the 
Squirrel tribe. It follows, therefore, that on fimilar prin- 
ciples the {mall flying opoffum here reprefented fhould 
form a diftinct genus alfo, and be feparated from the 
other opoffums. Inthe prefent inftance, however, I have 
not difaffociated this fpecies from the other Didelphides ; 
and as it is probably by far the moft diminutive of the 
tribe, have diftinguifhed it by a title expreffive of its 
imallnefs. The opening of the abdominal pouch in this 
{pecies is of a femilunar form, as expreffed in the out- 
lined 
