THE OPOSSUMS. 201 
divided. ‘Tail hairy for the first two or three inches at the 
base, then changing somewhat suddenly to scaly, and the tip 
gradually becoming white. Length of head and body about 
1034 inches ; of tail slightly less. 
Distribution. Mexico to the Argentina. 
Habits.—This animal, which is somewhat larger than a com- 
mon Squirrel, is very common in many parts of Brazil, where 
itis known as the Quica. Feeding upon small birds, insects, 
and fruits, it passes its time, like the others of its kin, in sleep- 
ing, rolled up like a ball, during the day, and sallies forth to 
feed at night. The full development of the pouch indicates 
that the young have habits similar to those of the common 
species. By the French, the species is termed Ze Didelphe 
guatre-eil, the conspicuous white spots on the forehead giving, 
at a distance, the appearance of a second pair of eyes. 
III. RAT-TAILED OPOSSUM. DIDELPHYS NUDICAUDATA. 
Didelphys nudicaudata, Geoffr., Cat. Mus., p. 142 (1803) ; 
Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 332 (1888). 
Didelphys myosurus, Temminck, Monogr. Mamm., vol. i., p. 38 
(1827). 
Metachirus myosurus, Burmeister, Erlaut. Faun. Brasil., p. 69 
(1856). 
(Plate XXXTII1.) 
Characters,—Size scarcely equal to that of the last, but the 
form more slender, and the limbs and tail relatively much 
longer; fur, very short, straight and crisp. General colour 
greyish-brown, more or less tinged, especially on the flanks, 
with yellowish or rufous; under-parts yellowish-white, sharply 
defined from the dark area above bya more or less well-marked 
yellow line; face brown or rufous-brown, darker round the eyes, 
and having a prominent white or pale yellow spot above each 
of the latter, which is, however, much smaller than in the pre- 
