﻿2i8 Allen's naturalist's library. 



Museum, but others are required in order to determine 

 whether the pattern of colour is constant. 



XIX. hensel's opossum, didelphys henseli. 



Didelphys henseli, Thomas, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 6, vol. i., 

 p. 159, and Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 360 (1888). 



Characters. — While agreeing with the preceding members of 

 the sub-genus in the absence of dark stripes on the back, this 

 short-tailed Opossum is distinguished by its inferior size, and 

 the presence of about twenty-five teats, of which five are cen- 

 tral and the remainder arranged in lateral pairs. The ears are 

 small ; while in colour the back is grey and the flanks are red. 

 The tail is about equal in length to the head and body, with its 

 root alone furry, and the remainder scaly and nearly naked, its 

 upper surface being brown, and the under side led. Length of 

 head and body of male about 4^ inches ; of tail 2I- inches. 



Distribution. — Entre Rios and Rio Grande do Sul. From the 

 number of teats it is probable that the female of this species 

 gives birth to a large progeny, and it would be interesting to 

 ascertain in what manner the young are carried about by 

 such a diminutive creature. 



XX. shrew-opossum, didelphys sorex. 



Microdelphys sorex ^ Hensel, Abhandl. Akad. BerUn, 1872, p. 



122. 

 Didelphys sorex, Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 362 



(1888). 



Characters. — This species may be easily recognised by being 

 the smallest representative of the sub-genus with a uniformly- 

 coloured back. The ears are of medium size ; and the general 

 colour grey above and rufous on the flanks, the latter colour 

 extending on to the cheeks and hips. Number of teats un- 



