38 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



PAPERS READ. 



I. — Notes on the Common possum ( Didelphis aurita), "Comadreja 

 jricaso" or Black and White Comadreja. By Mr. Ernest Gibson, 

 F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., Estancia "Los Ingleses," Partido de Ajo, near 

 Cape San Antonio, Buenos Ayres. Corresponding Member. 



This marsupial diners from the only other species our district 

 possesses, not only in size and colour, but in habitat and habits. 

 It is confined to the woods and higher — or at least dry — grounds, 

 taking up its abode either in hollow trees or holes in the ground, 

 but never found inhabiting "biscacheros" (burrows of the Biscacho, 

 Lagostomus trichodactylus ), though often frequenting them. From 

 being the sworn foe of all hen-roosts, it also not only ventures about 

 buildings by night, but will establish itself in the coolest manner 

 possible in outhouses, garrets, roofs of houses, store-rooms — in short, 

 anywhere it can gain admittance to. As the result of long 

 experience, I go up to the loft in the cooper's "galpon" (barn), 

 in fear and trembling, jumping back several feet at every box I 

 turn over, in the momentary expectation of being glared, fuffed, 

 and snapped at, by one of these vicious animals. The great look- 

 out ladder is reared against the aforesaid barn, affording an easy 

 means of access to the thatched roof, and thence to the loft ; 

 consequently one or more comadrejas may almost always be found 

 there. One morning I found the cooper waiting at the foot 

 of the ladder, armed with a cooper's "devil," and receiving three 

 half -grown comadrejas as they came leisurely down it in succession. 

 On another occasion one was found in the store-room, to which it 

 must have gained access by a small window having been left open. 

 The discoverer immediately hurled some missile and knocked it 

 over, but came to the conclusion that he must have totally 

 annihilated it, as not another trace of the intruder could he find. 

 Two or three weeks after it was found in a box half-full of 

 maccaroni, sleeping soundly, and looking very plump and comfortable. 

 Another one kept us all frantic for several weeks, promenading 

 about between the inner "cielo raso," or wooden ceiling, and the 

 outer thatch roof. It was ultimately detected in the early morning 

 returning to its abode from a nocturnal ramble, and was then 

 dispatched. Examination proved it to be a female with seven 

 young ones in the pouch — a promising colony, doubtless! A. 



