contracted often to Phascogale: the scientific name for the genus of littlemarsupials known as the Kangaroo-Mouse or Pouched-Mouse (q.v.). (Grk. phaskowlos, a leatherapron, and galae, a weasel.) «The pretty little animalsbelonging to the genus thus designated, range over the whole ofAustralia and New Guinea, together with the adjacent islandsand are completely arboreal and insectivorous in their habits.The [popular] name of Pouched-Mouse is far from beingfree from objection, yet, since the scientific names of neitherthis genus nor the genus Sminthopsis lend themselvesreadily for conversion into English, we are compelled to usethe colonial designation as the vernacular names of bothgenera. . . . The largest of the thirteen known species doesnot exceed a Common Rat in size, while the majority areconsiderably smaller.» (R. Lydekker, `Marsupialia,' p. 166.)
1853. J. West, `History of Tasmania,' vol. i. p. 324:
«The phascogales are small insectivorous animals found on themountains and in the dense forest-parts of the island, andlittle is known of their habits.»