. if 
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. waterhouset, 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. 
Didelphys murina, Linn. Syst. Nat. ed. 10, vol. i., p. 55 (1760) ; 
Thomas, Cat. Marsup. Brit. Mus., p. 343 (1888). 
Didelphys dorsigera, Linn., loc. cit. 
Micoureus murinus, et M. dorsigerus, Lesson, Nouv. Tabl. 
Régne Animal, Mamm., p. 186 (1842). 
Didelphys impavida, Tschudi, Fauna Peruana, p. 149 (1844). 
Didelphys 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 ; 
é = 
