198 LLOYD'S NATURAL HISTORY, 
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 white, save for a darker streak running through 4 
each eye, and another on the crown of the head, but southern jj 
examples altogether much darker, and frequently black ; under-4 
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, and4 
oval, varying in colour from black to white. Limbs brown org 
black, always darker than the body ; fore feet with six, hinder} 
with five pads, which are large and coarsely striated, althoughi 
not divided. Pouch large and well-developed ; teats varying i 
from 5to13innumber. ‘Tail haired for from one to four inches'} 
at the base like the body, elsewhere scaly and nearly naked.) 
Length of head and body, in large specimens, about 18%4 
inches ; of tail 17 inches. 
Distribution—America, from the United States to Chili and4 
South Brazil; also Argentina. : 
Variety—The variety known as Azara’s Opossum (Plate 
“cou tenes snd sharp definition of the anes nae 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 eats,' 
more hairy tails, and smaller teeth than the ordinary form, pr 
no one of these characters is entirely constant.” 
