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Show 130 MAMMALIA. PETAunus, Shaw.-PIIALANGISTA, Illig. Th Flying Phalangers h ave the skin of the flanks more ol r lRes s e l'k the Flying Squirrels among t 1e o· extended between the legs, 1 e tain themselves momentarily in the d · hich enables them to sus aiern, uaan,d wm ake greater leaps. They also are only found in New Hoi-land. . h e inferior canini, but they are very S 0 me of the species av b 11 Their superi.O r cam· m· and their three first molars, a ~o ve samnda b· elow, are very pom. te d '• each of their back molars has tour points. ( 1) D 'd pygm"Y)a Shaw, Gen. Zool. pl. 114; Ph pygmcea; ~ · "" ' .b CXLIV A. (The Flying Dwarf Phalanger.) Of the Schre · ' h · f th t 'I colour and near1 y th e S.I Z e of a Mouse ; the ba irsf o '1e1 at regu Ia r1 y arran ged on its two sides like the bar s o . a qui . Other speci. es h ave no 1" nferior canini ' while the sup•e rwr bo nes ha re . 11 Their four back molars present four pomts, ut t ey avreer ys lsi mhat ly· curved into a crescent, whi. c 1 · rly the form of l lS very nea those ~f the Ruminantia. In front, there are two above and o~e below, 1e ss comp1 1. ca t ecl . By this str.u cture th. ey are rendered still more frugivorous than all the precedmg spec!~~· . 288 Ph. petaurus; Shaw, Gen. Zool. pl. cxu, Whlte, Voy. . (The Great Flying Phalanger.) Resembles the !agu_an and th~ Galeopithecus in size ; its fur is soft and close ; 1ts tall long an f flattened • brownish-black above, white beneath. They are o various s~ades of brown ; some are variegated, and others per· fectly white. . Ph. sciurea; Shaw, pl. cxiii, 3. (The Bordered Flym~ Pha· Ianger.) Size of the brown Rat; ash coloured a~ove, white ~eneath • a brown line commencing on the chanfrm and runnm.g along' the back • edges of the lateral membrane brown; tat! tufted; the lengt' h of the body and I· ts poster1· 0r por f 10 n black · From the islands near New Guinea. P. Peronii, Desm. (The Hairy-footed Flying Phalange~) A reddish-grey; front of the ears and under part of the bo Y whitish; toes very hairy and brown; tail black, longer than the body, and white at the end. . Fl . Ph. macroura; Shaw, pl. cxiii, f. 2. (The Long-tailed. Yf ing Phalanger.) A deep brown above, white beneath; stze 0 the brown Rat; tail slender, about half as long again as the body. Our third subdivision has the incisors and superior canini ( 1) It is of this first division that Desmarets has made his genus AcnonAT:E. MARSUPlALIA. 131 ofthe second. The two toes of the hind feet are also similarly united; but the posterior thumbs and inferior canini are wanting. It contains but a single genus. HYPSIPRYMNus, Illig.(!) The Potoroos are the last animals of this. famify which retain any trait of the general characters of the Carnaria. Their teeth are neal'ly the same as those of the Phalangers, and they still have pointed canini above. The two superior middle incisors are pointed, and longer than the others ; the two inferior ones project farwards. In front they have a long trenchant denticulated molar followed by fout· others with four blunt tubercles. What particularly distinguishes these animals is their hind legs, which are much larger in proportion than the fore ones, that have no thumbs, and the two first toes united as far as the nail; so that, at a first glance, it seems as though there were but three toes, the middle one having two nails • They frequently walk upon two feet, at which times they employ their long and strong tail to support themselves. They have then the form and habits of the Kanguroos, from which they only differ in their superior canine tooth. They are frugivorous; their stomach is large, divided into two sacs, and has several inflations ; but their crecum is rounded and of a middling size. Hyps. minor; Macropus minor, Shaw; White, Bot. Bay, 286; Voy. de Freycin. pl. 10. (The Kanguroo Rat.) Size of a small Rabbit; of a mouse-grey. From New Holland, where it is called Potoroo. It is the only species known. The fourth subdivision only differs from the third In the absence of all canini whatsoever, it is the MAcnoPus, Shaw.-HALMATunus, Il1ig.(2) The Kanguroos have all the characters we have assigned to the preceding genus, except that the superior canine is wanting, and that their middle incisors do not project beyond the others. The inequality of their legs is still greater, so that on all fours they can only w~lk slowly and with difficulty; they make vigorous leaps however Wllh their hind feet, the great middle nail of which (almost in the shape of a hoof) also serves them for purposes of defence ; for, by ~upporting themselves on one foot and their enormous tail, they can lhfltct a severe blow with that which is at liberty. They are very (l) 'r{rTI'!I'~u,u.vo~; i. c. 1·aised behind. ( 2 ) Halmaturu8, tail fit for leaping. |
