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DASYURUS VIVERR INUS.
Variable Dasyurus.

The Spotted Opossum, oS Voy. to Bot. Bay, p. 147 Fol
Tapoa Tafa, White, Journ. of a Voy. to New South ie ales,

—-: p. 285 and pl.
Didelphis Viverrina, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. i. pt. i

See) emo Lee TST
——— guttatus, Desm. Nouv. Dict. d’ Hist. Nat.

Dasyurus Viverrinus et D. eee Geoff. Ann. du Mus., tom.

72. pl. 7. figs. 1-8, skull and ee jaw.—W an Nat. Hist. Mamm., vol.

2 pp. 442, 444.—T1 ». Nat.
Lib. ee pp. 133, 135, pl. 7.—Cat. of Mamm. in Brit

. Mus. p. 97.

Puar the specific terms V7verrinus and Maugci have reference to one and the same animal, I had abundant

opportunities of ascertaining during my residence in Van Diemen’s Land; where not unfrequently litters

came under my notice in which the prevailing colour of some of the e young was black, and in others grey :
to the former the old specific term of Viverrinus was applied, and to the latter the
Mauger.

The habits and economy of the present species are very similar to those of the Spotted-tailed Dasyurus ;
it also inhabits almost exclusively the same countries—Van Diemen’s Land and New South Wales. During
the daytime, hollow trees, holes in the rocks, and stony places form the retreats of this pretty animal ;
night approaches, it Recome s alert and active, and seeks for its living prey, which consists of small aie
peds and birds without restriction to any particular species.

I believe that six will be found to be the normal number of the young, since that was the number contained
in a litter I obtained in Van Diemen’s Land, of which three were black, and three grey-coloured animals :
the former, I am assured, are not, however, so regularly met with, and must be considered the variety.
Mr. Waterhouse remarks, in his ‘“‘ Natural History of the Mammalia ”’—

“As no individuals presenting an intermediate condition of colouring are found, I at first suspected that
the difference might be sexual; but such is not the case, since I have seen male specimens, both of
the black and grey varieties. The former vary only from brown black to black; the under parts of the
body and the feet are generally brownish. The fur on the back is grey next the skin, and that on the ab-
domen is also grey, but of a paler hue ; the white spots on the body vary in size, some being very small, and
others more than half an inch in diameter; on the head there are a few small white spots ; the tail is bushy,
being provided with long hairs, averaging on the basal portion about an inch in length, but of oe that
length at the point; on the under surface they are, however, comparatively short ; im length the be ee
equal to the body; the ears are tolerably large arid somewhat attenuated at the apex; they are clothed with
short black heresy which are most abundant on the outer surface, but are also plentiful on the inner surface
at the point and near the anterior angle, in which latter part the hairs are considerably longer than else-
in the living animal, as is also the naked tip of the nose

where; the back of the ear is of a pale pink colour
but covered with small fleshy tubercles.

and Ae soles of the feet, the latter being also destitute of hair, eee
; oreyis ‘+h suffused with yellow ;

In the light-coloured animals :—‘ The general colour of the fur is greyish, but mucn s : ;

a pale grey colour at the root, pale yellow
d hairs have their visible portions almost

of an uniform yellowish white tint ;

each hair of the ordinary fur on the upper parts of the body is of
near the point, and black at the point, and the coarser interspersec

entirely black; on the feet and under parts of f the body the hairs are ae
| the ears are for the most part rather spar

the tail is bushy, of the same general hue

ysite extremity, and is terminated with

the sides of the face are almost of an uniform pale yellow ;
clothed with pale hairs ; at their base externally is a white spot 5

5

sr > oppe
as the body at the base, but becomes gradually paler tow ards the op}
white or dirty yellow-white hairs.”

: Ize.
The figures represent both states of the animal of the natural s

ll. pp. 359, 360. —Temm. Mon. de Mamm., 1 Deal

more modern one of

(oa

ves

656

BONER