University of Wollongong Research Online Faculty of Science - Papers (Archive) Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health 2006 Annotated records of the feathertail glider, acrobates pygmeus, from the Victorian Naturalist Jamie M. Harris Southern Cross University, [email protected] K Shane Maloney University of Wollongong, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers Part of the Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons Recommended Citation Harris, Jamie M. and Maloney, K Shane: Annotated records of the feathertail glider, acrobates pygmeus, from the Victorian Naturalist 2006, 157-165. https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers/4842 Research Online is the open access institutional repository for the University of Wollongong. For further information contact the UOW Library: [email protected] Annotated records of the feathertail glider, acrobates pygmeus, from the Victorian Naturalist Abstract The Victorian Naturalist was surveyed for past records of the Feathertail Glider Acrobates pygmaeus. We document many important records of their occurrence, as well as accounts on their feeding and behaviour. This report should be useful to researchers seeking primary source observations of this species. Disciplines Life Sciences | Physical Sciences and Mathematics | Social and Behavioral Sciences Publication Details Harris, J. M. & Maloney, K. (2006). Annotated records of the feathertail glider, acrobates pygmeus, from the Victorian Naturalist. The Victorian Naturalist, 123 (3), 157-165. This journal article is available at Research Online: https://ro.uow.edu.au/scipapers/4842 Contributions Annotated records of the Feathertail Glider Acrobates pygmaeus from The Victorian Naturalist Jamie M Harris1 and K Shane Maloney2 1 School of Environmental Science and Management, Southern Cross University, Lismore NSW 2480 Email: [email protected]; 2 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wollongong, NSW 2522 Email: [email protected]) Abstract The Victorian Naturalist was surveyed for past records of the Feathertail Glider Acrobates pygmaeus. We document many important records of their occurrence, as well as accounts on their feeding and behaviour. This report should be useful to researchers seeking primary source observa- tions of this species. (The Victorian Naturalist 123 (3), 2006, 157-165) Introduction The Feathertail Glider Acrobates pyg- (Anon 1887; Anon 1896a; Anon 1908; maeus (family Acrobatidae) is a small (10- Anon 1913; Anon 1918); and ‘specimens 14 g) cryptic marsupial, which has a wide of the flying opossum mouse’ by Mr C distribution in eastern Australia from far French on 9 July 1888 (Anon 1888). On 13 northern Queensland (QLD), through New July 1896, JA Kershaw exhibited a South Wales (NSW) and Victoria (VIC) to Feathertail Glider ‘with three young, taken the south-east of South Australia (SA) from nest composed of gum leaves under (Strahan 1995; Lindenmayer 2002; the bark of large eucalypt, South Goldingay and Jackson 2004). In Victoria Gippsland’ (Anon 1896b). On 16 January the species is currently considered 1905, EB Nicholls exhibited a specimen of ‘Secure’ (Henry 1995) and/or ‘Common’ the ‘Pigmy Flying-Mouse’ captured at (van der Ree et al. 2004). However, docu- ‘Olinda Creek, South Wandin’ (Anon menting historical and more recent records 1905). On 11 August 1930, JA Kershaw, of their occurrence in Victoria and else- then Director of the National Museum of where will be important for assessment of Victoria, exhibited a ‘Pigmy Flying their ecology and conservation. To this Phalanger’ (Anon 1930) and this was pos- end, this paper presents an annotated sibly the same specimen earlier exhibited chronology of Feathertail Glider records in by him in 1896 (see above). The Victorian Naturalist (1884-2005). At Mount Disappointment, Barnard (1911) noted that a ‘flying mouse’ was Feathertail Glider records from The captured at Jack’s Creek aqueduct. This Victorian Naturalist animal was caught as it ran into a ‘grass In Volume 1 of The Victorian Naturalist, tussock’ and forwarded to the National the ‘Opossum Mouse’ Petaurus pygmeus Museum of Victoria (now Museum (=A. pygmaeus) was noted as part of the Victoria). The collection time was noted as Victorian mammalian fauna (Forbes Leith 5 o’clock in the afternoon, and this was and Lucas 1884). Feathertail Glider speci- thought unusual on account of its nocturnal mens were subsequently exhibited at habits. When the report was read to a numerous early meetings of the Club, meeting of the Club on 13 March 1911, including ‘a case with opossum mice’ [=A. EB Nicholls said that it was 3 o’clock in pygmaeus] by TA Forbes Leith on 29 the afternoon when he captured his speci- April 1885 (see Cresswell 1885); a ‘flying men (Anon 1911). mouse from Langi Kal Kal, Victoria’ by Mathews and Iredale (1912) reviewed a Mary Simson on 10 June 1885 (Anon rare book written by George Perry (1811) 1885); a ‘pair of flying mice’ by FGA and mention was made that this work Barnard of Kew, Victoria on 28 April included information on the Feathertail 1887, 28-29 May 1896, 22-23 September Glider. A copy of this book we examined, 1908, 8 September 1913 and 10 June 1918 Vol. 123 (3) 2006 157 Contributions revealed an interesting illustration of this well advanced when Fleay arrived. Several species (Fig. 1), drawn from a specimen trees were felled in an effort to capture reportedly belonging to a Mr Bullock. It Feathertail Gliders, but none was found. was stated that this species lives ‘in the Only some ‘empty nests’ were discovered. trees and forests of Botany Bay and its However, at this site a week later, a large neighbourhood’ (Perry 1811). rotten tree came down, three Feathertails Dr Edmund Hobson (1814 to 1848) took were seen, one of which was captured field notes in the forests between (Fleay 1933). Another was seen while Melbourne and Arthurs Seat, and in 1837 spotlighting at a locality ‘some miles dis- he noted that ‘The Petaurus pigmaeus [=A. tant’ and also after felling some nearby pygmaeus] lives upon the gum of the two trees the next day. Here, one was captured kinds of mimosa, mim. decurrens and (a female with two pouch young) and was viridis’ (Kenyon 1930). The first plant is possibly the same animal that was spotlit synonymous with the Green Wattle the previous night. Unfortunately, the ani- (Acacia decurrens), the second plant mals captured by Fleay at Bendoc did not species is unknown. Hobson also noted survive long in captivity. that ‘The movements of this little creature Feathertail Gliders seem ‘to inhabit a vari- are so rapid that they give the impression ety of forest country, though it is most at of a mere spectre. By means of the skin home in the thick timber typified by stretched betwixt the hind and fore legs, Gippsland’ (Fleay 1932). Also referred to they are enabled to reach the lower branch- were two juvenile male animals sent to es of trees some 18 or 20 feet distant’ (see Fleay from the ‘red gum country near Kenyon 1930). Mathoura’, NSW. Only one of these sur- In 1926, David Orchard of Kinglake East vived, and was named ‘Erastus’ and lived reported that his domestic cat brought for ‘nearly three years’, despite some lucky home alive a ‘pigmy flying squirrel or pha- escapes from the jaws of Fleay’s dog and the langer’, that died soon afterwards (Orchard taloned-feet of a captive Boobook Owl. A 1926). He stated that they can be ‘found in female adult Feathertail Glider (with three central Victoria along mountain creeks’ young) captured near Warburton was also but are ‘very rare’. He also stated that: sent to Fleay and all were reported to be: Tree fellers for saw mills are the people perfectly healthy, with the exception of one who mostly find them in bringing down of the immature females, which had a some giant tree having a dry hollow some- wound on the head, due to the bite of a dog where on its side. Domestic cats also bring which discovered the [Feathertail Glider] them to the country home occasionally, when the home tree fell. However, the just as they bring in the ordinary mouse in mother refused to settle down. She the cities. I have received several speci- declined food, and within a week had mens in that way. When the cats have kit- passed away…The [Feathertail Glider] tens to feed they usually bring these flying with the tooth-marked head became very mice home alive for the kittens to play sickly two months after its with before killing and eating them. arrival…Finally, after a week of continued David Fleay (1932) provided an article torpidity, without touching a morsel of and photographs pertaining to the ‘Pigmy food, it died. Flying Possum’. A number of distribution Other records provided by Fleay (1932) records were detailed as well as some included the finding of breeding animals in observations on the captive diet, behaviour the ‘Ballarat district’ and a family of ‘sev- and vocalisations of this species. A friend eral immature specimens discovered at a of Fleay’s ‘had seen large numbers’ of spot near Arthur’s Creek’, in 1931. Fleay Feathertail Gliders in an area of scrub in (1933) noted the ‘Pigmy Phalanger the Bendoc district (Fleay 1932). (Acrobates pygmaeus)’ as resident in the According to his (unnamed) friend ‘there Otway region and described its vocalisa- were hundreds’ within a single area of tions as a slow hissing cry. Fleay (1935) bush, which led Fleay and a fellow-enthu- reported that the ‘Pigmy Flying Phalanger’ siast to search the locality sometime after- is represented in the native fauna section of wards. Clearing of the site was reportedly the Melbourne Zoological Gardens. 158 The Victorian Naturalist Contributions Fig. 1.