﻿THE OPOSSUMS. 209 



noteworthy that in describing this form Tomes states that he had 

 observed a female with young in her pouch, a statement which, if 

 confirmed, would indicate not only the specific distinctness of 

 D. waterhousei, but would likewise prove that it differed from all 

 the other members of the sub-genus in the possession of a pouch. 

 Like the other members of the group, the Cinereous Opos- 

 sum is essentially an arboreal, and mainly an insectivorous 

 animal, climbing with the assistance of its prehensile tail, but 

 otherwise very similar in its general habits to the Oriental Tree- 

 Shrews. 



VIII. MURINE OPOSSUM. DIDELPHYS MURINA. 



Didelpkys 7nurhia, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. lo, vol. i., p. 55 (1760) ; 



Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 343 (1888). 

 Didelpkys dorsigera, Linn., loc. cit. 

 Micoureus inwinus^ et M. dorsigerus^ Lesson, Nouv. Tabl. 



Regne Animal, Mamm., p. 186 (1842). 

 Didelpkys impavida^ Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, p. 149 (1844). 

 Didelpkys musculus^ Cabanis, in Schomburgk's Reis. Guian., 



vol. iii., p. 778 (1848). 



Characters,— Size considerably less than that of the preceding 

 species ; form slender and delicate ; fur thick, close, and 

 straight, without any tendency to woolliness ; muzzle with two 

 inferior notches on each size. General colour deep dull rufous, 

 varying considerably in intensity and shade ; face greyer and 

 paler than the back, with the dark eye-stripes generally very 

 conspicuous, and contrasting sharply with the pale ground- 

 colour ; chin white ; rest of under-parts yellowish white ; outer 

 sides of limbs like back, inner surface white ; feet white or pale 

 grey. Ears very similar to those of the Ashy Opossum. Teats 

 from nine to fifteen in number. Foot-pads as in preceding 

 species. Tail long, slender, cylindrical ; furry for about half an- 

 inch at the base, elsewhere with only a few scattered hairs ; 

 2 p 



