﻿J 98 ALLEN'S naturalist's LIBRARY. 



upper-parts, more numerous along the middle line of the back 

 than elsewhere. General colour varying from white to black, 

 through all the intermediate mixtures, the individual bristly hairs 

 being either white, black, or parti-coloured, but the under-fur 

 invariably white at the base ; colour of face also variable in its 

 proportions of black and white, the northern forms having the 

 face nearly wholly wliite, save for a darker streak running through 

 each eye, and another on the crown of the head, but southern 

 examples altogether much darker, and frequently black ; under- 

 parts dirty white, often with black tips to the hairs. The 

 naked muzzle broad, with a single median vertical groove, and 

 two lateral notches in the upper lip. Ears large, leaf-like, and 

 oval, varying in colour from black to white. Limbs brown or 

 black, always darker than the body ; fore feet with six, hinder 

 with five pads, which are large and coarsely striated, although 

 not divided. Pouch large and well-developed ; teats varying 

 from 5 to 13 in number. Tail haired for from one to four inches 

 at the base like the body, elsewhere scaly and nearly naked. 

 L-ngth of head and body, in large specimens, about i8j^ 

 inches; of tail 17 inches. 



Distribution. — America, from the United States to Chili and 

 South Brazil ; also Argentina. 



Variety. — The variety known as Azara's Opossum (Plate 

 XXXIL), which is equally as variable in coloration as the typical 

 form, is distinguishable, according to Mr. Thomas, " by the 

 prominence and sharp definition of the darker marks on the 

 face these forming strongly contrasted black stripes on a white 

 ground, one running through each eye, and a median one pass- 

 ing from between the eyes backwards on to the crown and back 

 of the neck. Specimens with these markings are generally 

 smaller in size, and have, as a rule, white or parti-coloured ears, 

 more hairy tails, and smaller teeth than the ordinary form, but 

 no one of these characters is entirely constant." 



