The Phalangers are interesting from an historical point of view, since the Gray Cuscus (_Phalanger orientalis_) was the first of the Marsupials of the eastern hemisphere brought to the notice of Europeans, having been described in a work published at Leyden in 1611, from an account of a specimen seen at Amboyna during the third expedition of Admiral Van der Hagen. The present family corresponds to the _Dasyuridæ_ among the Polyprotodonts as presenting, on the whole, the most generalised types of the suborder. The existing forms may be divided into three subfamilies. Subfamily =Tarsipedinæ=.—Cheek-teeth almost rudimentary and variable in number. Tongue long, slender, pointed, and very extensile. Tail long. Cæcum absent. [Illustration: FIG. 46.—_Tarsipes rostratus._ From Gould.] _Tarsipes._[54]—So named from some supposed resemblance of its foot to that of the Lemurine genus _Tarsius_; but it must be remarked that it has none of the peculiar elongation of the calcaneum and navicular so characteristic of that genus. Head with elongated and slender muzzle. Mouth-opening small. The two lower incisors are long, very slender, sharp-pointed, and horizontally placed. All the other teeth are simple, conical, minute, and placed at considerable and irregular intervals apart in the jaws, the number appearing to vary in different individuals and even on different sides of the same individual. The formula, in a specimen in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons, is _i_ ²⁄₁, _c_ ¹⁄₀, _p_ and _m_ ³⁄₂ on one side, and ⁴⁄₃ on the other; total 20. Rami of the mandible extremely slender, nearly straight, and without coronoid process or inflected angle. Fore feet with five well-developed toes, furnished with small, flat, scale-like nails, not reaching to the extremity of the digits. Hind feet rather long and slender compared with those of the _Phalangerinæ_, having a well-developed opposable and nailless hallux; second and third digits syndactylous, with sharp compressed curved claws; the fourth and fifth free, and with small flat nails. Ears of moderate size and rounded. Tail longer than the body and head, scantily clothed with short hairs, prehensile. Vertebræ: C 7, D 13, L 5, S 3, C 24. Of this singular genus but one species, _T. rostratus_ (Fig. 46), is known, about the size of a common Mouse. It inhabits Western Australia, lives in trees and bushes, uses its tail in climbing, and feeds on honey, which it procures by inserting its long tongue into the blossoms of _Melaleucæ_, etc. One kept in confinement by Mr. Gould was also observed to eat flies. Subfamily =Phalangerinæ=.—Teeth normal. One or more rudimentary teeth between the upper canine and fourth premolar, and between the first lower incisor and fourth premolar. Tongue of ordinary structure. No cheek-pouches. Stomach and ascending colon simple. Cæcum long, simple. Tail well-developed, generally prehensile.