Creator Gould's Mammals of Australia (1845-1863)

Date 1863

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae, native to Australia. The brushtail possum it the marsupial most often seen by city dwellers, as it is one of few that thrive in cities and a wide range of natural and human-modified environments. Around human habitations, common brushtails are inventive and determined foragers with a liking for fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and kitchen raids. Once hunted extensively for their fur. (wiki). Gould called it 'Phalangista rulpina'

Source: Smithsonian Library