86 THE OPOSSUMS. 



whitish at the base and brown at the apex, in the 

 region of the eye the hairs assume a somewhat deeper 

 hue, and there is an indistinct dusky longitudinal line 

 on the forehead ; the tail is protected by scales, be- 

 tween which there are short hairs, the basal half is 

 black, and the apical portion white; a space at the base, 

 of about three inches in length, is covered with fur, 

 like that of the body, the hairs, however, are almost 

 entirely of a black colour ; the ears are black ;* the 

 head is long. 



This species is nearly equal in size to the D. 

 Virginiana, and may be distinguished from that 

 species and the D. Azarce, by its deeper colouring, 

 the long interspersed hairs on the upper parts of 

 the body being black, or dark brown, instead of 

 white ; its head is apparently longer and more atenua- 

 ted, and the ears are of an uniform colour. 



The Crab-eating Opossum is common in Guiana 

 and Brazil, it climbs trees with facility, but runs 

 badly prefers marshy situations, where it feeds upon 

 crabs whence its name ; it also attacks* small birds 

 and reptiles, and will eat insects. Its flesh is eaten 

 by the natives, and is said somewhat to resemble 

 that of the hare. 



* In the specimen now before me, the ears are black. Mr. 

 Bennett (see the Gardens and Menagerie of the Zoological 

 Society Delineated, vol. i., p. 271) says they are generally of 

 a yellowish white throughout, Temminck states that the ears 

 are of an uniform colour, but does not mention what that 

 colour is. 



