110 THE OPOSSUMS. 



8 lines; tarsus, 10 lines; ear 5 lines. The female 

 has no pouch. 



Observations. The above description is taken 

 from a specimen contained in the Museum at Paris. 

 A second specimen in the same Museum differed in 

 being a little paler, there being a greater admixture 

 of grey in the colouring of the upper parts of the 

 body. 



This species is found in Guyana and Cayenne; it lives 

 in the woods and feeds upon insects. The Microure 

 cinquieme of Azara is referred by some authors to the 

 present animal, but his description certainly agrees 

 with the D. brachyura, a specimen of which was 

 brought by Mr. Darwin from Maldonado, which is 

 near the territory of Azara's researches. 



In the Museum of the College of Surgeons there 

 is a small opossum closely resembling the present 

 species in size and proportions, but which is of an 

 uniform brown-black colour above, and pale brown 

 beneath darker on the under side of the head and 

 throat I can trace no rusty red on the sides of the 

 body, nor can the under parts ever have been white. 

 It is preserved in spirits, but the colours are distinct. 

 This animal can scarcely be a variety, either of the 

 Didelphys tricolor or D. brachyura. Should other 

 specimens like it be discovered, the specific name 

 Hunter i might be appropriate. 



Didelphys tricolor and D. brachyura differ from 

 other species of the genus in having a short tail, 

 which I should imagine is but little used as an organ 

 of prehension. 



