﻿200 Allen's naturalist's library. 



America, is one of the fifty-two Mammals inhabiting the island 

 of Trinidad. 



II. QUICA OPOSSUM. DIDELPHYS OPOSSUM. 



DidelpJiys opossum^ Linn. Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. i., p. 55 



(1760); Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 329 (1888). 



Didelphys qiiica, Temminck, Monogr. Mamm., vol. i., p, 36 



(1827). 

 Metachirus opossufn, et M. quica, Burmeister, Erlaut. Faun. 

 Brasil., pp. 69, 70 (1856). 

 Characters. — This species and the two following forms con- 

 stitute the subgenus Metachirus, of which the characters are 

 as follows : — 



Size medium ; toes of hind feet with the same relative lengths 

 as in the preceding species, that is to say with the three middle 

 toes subequal, and considerably exceeding the outermost one 

 in length; pouch either rudimentary or well-developed; fur 

 short and straight, without an admixture of bristles among 

 the soft hairs. 



The present species may be distinguished from its two nearest 

 allies as follows : — 



Size medium; fur short, straight, and somewhat crisp. 

 General colour shining slaty-grey, of variable shades, but darker 

 on the head, and lighter on the flanks than elsewhere ; under- 

 parts yellowish, greyish, or white ; face dark brown or black, 

 with a pair of prominent white spots above the eyes, sometimes 

 separated from another by a mere line. Muzzle long and 

 slender ; upper lip with a single pair of lateral notches. Ears 

 large, leaf-like, rounded, and very thin ; white at the base and 

 black at the tip, with frequently a white spot on the head be- 

 hind each of them. Pouch well-developed. Seven teats. Feet 

 brown or brown and white ; their pads large and rounded, 

 those of the first toe on each foot being more or less distinctly 



